Google smart displays are getting a makeover, dark mode included
Your Nest Hub screen is about to change up its look.
Google smart display interfaces are getting a new look.
Smart displays are just a few years old, but updates and redesigns are already in the works. Google just announced a brand new look for the user interface of its Google Assistant-enabled smart displays such as the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max.
Keeping tabs on your home
The overhaul starts with several new screens. The home screen now displays a quick glance at your day. In the morning that section is called "Your Morning" and it progresses throughout the day, displaying information like news, events on your calendar and the weather.
Other new tabs across the top of the home screen will direct you to specific categories. Those tabs include Home Control, Media, Communicate, and Discover.
Each tab holds tappable cards and widgets. On the Media page you'll find music, videos, shows and recommendations. You'll also be able to see and control what media is playing on other connected devices in your home. Media widgets will be customized to show content from your preferred streaming service.
The Home Control tab displays a dashboard of all the connected devices in your home and tappable cards to adjust any device settings, like dimming lights or viewing the doorbell camera.
The Communicate tab houses cards for video and chat settings, and the Discover tab displays ideas for things to do with your smart display like playing a game, hear a joke or find a new recipe.
Dark mode and ambience settings
In addition to organized tabs, Google-enabled smart displays are also several new ways to wind down in the evening and wake up each morning.
Relaxing ambient sounds are coming to Google Assistant-enabled smart displays.
With dark mode on, your smart display's color scheme changes, reducing light emission. You can set dark and light modes to activate automatically depending on ambient light of the sunrise and sunset. A selection of ambient sounds is also coming to smart displays for added relaxation options.
A Sunrise Alarm feature is also making its way to smart displays, gradually increasing the brightness of your screen for 30 minutes before your alarm time. You can manage alarms on your display, set different alarms for weekdays and weekends, as well as choose alarm tones.
Meetings and calendars
In recent months, the team at Google improved Google Meet and Duo on smart displays and announced plans for Zoom to come to the device. Now smart displays will be able to link multiple Google accounts, so you can see personal and professional meetings all in one place. You can also cancel or reschedule meetings on your smart display. If you use Google Meet on the camera-enabled Nest Hub Max display, you'll be able to move around the room while staying in frame.
Google smart displays will support multiple accounts for calendars and meetings.
These new features and the new interface design will be rolling out in the coming weeks to all Google Assistant-enabled smart displays in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Spain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, and US.