Mystery Google Media Device Stops Through FCC With Radar

A new Google “interactive device” stopped by the FCC today and you have to wonder if it’s a new Nest Hub or something similar that happens to have Soli radar onboard. The device packs all of the connectivity of a smart hub and then some.

Labeled as a Google device under model number GUIK2 and described as an “interactive device,” it has WiFi (ac), Bluetooth, Thread, Zigbee, and 60GHz radar embedded. It features an e-label instead of a hardware mounted label for regulatory markings, which suggests there is a display here.

The only really interesting thing is the 60GHz radar. We saw Google use this in their newest Nest Thermostat as a way to recognize your presence in a room. It’s the same Soli radar that’s in the Pixel 4, only it doesn’t take gestures. Maybe it will in a Nest Hub setup, allowing you to change recipe pages or photos it displays or tracks that are playing. As someone who wasn’t fond of Soli radar in the Pixel 4, it actually makes a lot of sense in a smart display.

I’m not finding any other big takeaways from the FCC listing, but it really is time for a Nest Hub upgrade from Google. Remember, the original Google Home Hub (which became the Nest Hub) was released in 2018 alongside the Pixel 3. That’s a 2+ year-old device without a camera and any upgraded hardware components that are available.

// FCC