Google Smart Display Lineup Stuck in the Past: What Shoppers Need to Know

Google’s smart display ecosystem is showing its age, and frustrated buyers are rightfully asking when the company will release new models. The current lineup remains dominated by devices launched years ago, leaving consumers with outdated hardware that increasingly struggles to perform basic functions.

The Problem With Aging Smart Displays

Google currently sells two smart displays: the Nest Hub (2nd generation) and the Nest Hub Max. The second-gen Nest Hub launched in March 2021, making it over five years old. If you need a larger screen, the Nest Hub Max offers a 10-inch display, but that model dates back to 2019, making it nearly seven years old. Neither device has received a meaningful refresh in years.

The problem goes beyond mere age. Users report that both displays frequently disconnect from Wi-Fi networks, often requiring power cycles or factory resets to restore connectivity. These connection issues have become increasingly common over the past year, undermining the seamless experience these devices promised when they were new. The situation is even worse for owners of the first-generation Nest Hub from 2018, with some reporting that software problems have completely bricked their devices.

Why This Matters for Your Smart Home

A modern smart display serves as the command center for your entire smart home ecosystem. When your display functions poorly, the entire network of connected devices suffers. Smart displays and hubs act as central nodes that coordinate communication between all your other devices, so outdated hardware can create ripple effects throughout your setup.

Google’s Pixel Tablet, released in June 2023, represents the youngest entry in the company’s smart display family at just over three years old. However, it lacks essential smart display features. The Pixel Tablet cannot provide personalized voice and video recognition responses, making it less useful for multi-person households. Additionally, the dock does not function as a standalone smart speaker when the tablet is being used elsewhere in your home, meaning you lose your smart hub whenever you take the tablet with you.

The Pixel Tablet also lacks Thread border router capabilities, limiting its ability to serve as the central command hub for all smart home protocols. For anyone building a comprehensive smart home, this is a significant limitation compared to dedicated Nest Hub devices.

The Timeline for New Models

Google has acknowledged that new smart displays are in development, but the company has not announced an official release date. Google unveiled new smart speakers with Gemini AI in June 2026, but only after more than six months of advance notice. Despite this precedent, the company has remained silent on smart display updates.

Industry observers estimate that consumers may need to wait at least another year, possibly longer, before new smart displays become available for purchase. This extended delay means current owners will likely continue using increasingly problematic devices for the foreseeable future. For shoppers considering a new smart display purchase today, the lack of roadmap transparency creates uncertainty about whether current models will receive necessary software updates to address reliability issues.

What Buyers Should Do Now

If you currently own a Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max experiencing connectivity problems, basic troubleshooting can sometimes help. Ensuring your device has the latest software updates and repositioning it closer to your router may improve performance. However, these solutions are often temporary.

For those shopping for a new smart display for Google Home, the decision becomes complicated. Investing in aging hardware carries risks, as support and reliability may continue to decline. You might consider whether alternative solutions, such as using a tablet in a dock alongside a separate smart speaker, could meet your needs while offering more flexibility.

If you’re budget-conscious, exploring smart displays under $150 can help you balance cost concerns with the understanding that you’re purchasing mature technology. However, potential buyers should recognize they’re making a compromise until Google releases newer models.

The Bigger Picture

The frustration surrounding Google’s smart display strategy reflects a broader pattern in the company’s hardware division. While competing products in other categories receive regular updates and improvements, the smart display segment has stagnated. Smartphone manufacturers launch new models annually, and most tablet and laptop categories see updates every few years, yet Google has essentially abandoned its smart display line.

This stagnation is particularly problematic for a device category designed to anchor your entire smart home infrastructure. A modern smart display should represent the cutting edge of what’s possible in home automation, not a relic from an earlier era struggling with basic connectivity. Until Google introduces new models with improved hardware, updated software, and fresh features, buyers remain stuck with devices that are increasingly difficult to depend on.

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