It remains to be seen whether Google plans to bring Gemini to Smart Displays and speakers. At the same time, stock for the Nest Hub and speaker family of products is not as plentiful as it once was.
At launch in 2019, the Nest Mini was available in Chalk, Charcoal, Coral, and Sky Blue. As of today, the US Google Store is only selling the orange/salmon Nest Mini. The listing doesn’t even show you the other shades with a direct “Add to cart” button.
The Nest Audio (2020) page lists Sky, Sand, and Sage as being “Out Of Stock,” with Charcoal and Chalk still offered.
Meanwhile, the 2nd-gen Nest Hub (2021) is available in all four colors (Chalk, Charcoal, Mist, and Sand), but the Nest Hub Max (2019) can only be purchased in Charcoal.
The situation at other US retailers is similar, with some colors unavailable.
Top comment by Frank Thompson
I would accept the pixel tablet as a successor to the nest hub max, if it weren't for one exception. The audio experience is so much worse. How they charge $130 for that base boggles mind. The nest hub max is $100 more and has a display, better audio and logic built in. Google failed the tablet in that one regard (when talking about it as a successor to the hub max)
Looking at international stores reveals a similar situation, with “Join Waiting List” appearing for some of the colors.
| US | Canada | UK | Ireland | Germany | France | Australia | Japan | Taiwan | |
| Nest Mini | 1/4 colors | 4/4 | 2/4 | 1/4 | 2/2 | 2/2 | 3/4 | 4/4 | 1/2 |
| Nest Audio | 2/5 colors | 5/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 1/2 | 2/2 | 1/2 | 0/2 | 1/2 |
| Nest Hub | 4/4 colors | 3/4 | 2/4 | 4/4 | 2/2 | 2/2 | 2/2 | 2/2 | 0/2 |
| Nest Hub Max | 1/2 colors | 1/2 | 2/2 | Never sold | Never sold | 2/2 | 2/2 | 2/2 | Never sold |
In short, you’re still able to get Google Smart Displays and speakers today, but stock is running low and you might have to look around if you’re set on a particular color.
The Pixel Tablet is the clear successor to the Nest Hub line, with Look and Talk under development. That said, Google would be foolish to stop offering an affordable Google Photos slideshow device. The same can be said of cheap speakers, but the case for the Nest Hub Max is somewhat more difficult.
These Assistant-powered devices are still supported, with the feature deprecation Google announced in January aimed at “prioritizing the experiences you love and investing in the underlying technology to make them even better.” That said, the removals have an outsized impact on the smart home form factor:
- Playing and controlling audiobooks on Google Play Books with your voice.
- Setting or using media alarms, music alarms, or radio alarms on Google Assistant enabled devices.
- Accessing or managing your cookbook, transferring recipes from device to device, playing an instructional recipe video, or showing step-by-step recipes.
- Managing a stopwatch on Smart Displays and Speakers.
- Using your voice to call a device or broadcast a message to your Google Family Group.
- Asking to schedule or hear previously scheduled Family Bell announcements.
- Asking to meditate with Calm.
- Viewing the ambient “Commute to Work” time estimates on Smart Displays.
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