[Update: Japan] Nest Hub (2nd gen) launching in more European countries next month

At the end of March, Made by Google started shipping its latest Smart Display in six countries. Google will be making the new Nest Hub (2nd gen) more widely available in Europe next month. Update 4/21: The 2nd-generation Nest Hub is launching in Japan on Wednesday, May 5. It will be available for ¥11,000 in Chalk or Charcoal from the Google Store and other local retailers: Aeon, EDION, K’s Denki, Joshin Denki, Nojima, PC DEPOT, Bic Camera, Beisia, Yamada Denki, Yodobashi Camera, Rakuten Books, and Costco. Original 4/12: The new Nest Hub is available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, United Kingdom, and the United States today. Google tells us that it plans to launch in 10 more European countries from May 4: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Google has yet to launch the 2nd-generation model in Asia, with the old Nest Hub available in Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. In those places, the original is still on sale. Those in Europe can expect a nearly identical Nest Hub, though there’s a new edgeless 7-inch display and Mist (blue) color to join Chalk (white), Charcoal (black), and Sand (pink). There’s 50% more bass, a third microphone, and a Thread radio that’s currently disabled. The main change is a low-power Soli radar chip that lets you perform air gestures and tracks your sleep. As we noted in our review: The Nest Hub (2nd gen) sets Google Assistant down the path of having an all-encompassing look at your day and wellbeing. As much as my initial reaction to that aspect was quite visceral, it’s exciting to get a glimpse of the future in a $99 package that is already useful in so many other ways. The speaker and alarm — enhanced by Soli gestures, photo frame, mini TV, and smart home control center you want is now also an entirely optional sleep tracker that more than works and is — mostly — friendly about it.

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