Google's Nest Hub Has Sleep-Sensing Feature, No Camera

Sleep sensing is a main feature of Google’s latest Nest Hub, launched Tuesday. The contactless sleep-sensing feature, which uses a miniature radar sensor from Soli, detects movement and gestures “at the micrometer level,” such as breathing, to give users information about sleep duration, routines and quality, Google said. The unit doesn't have a camera, and faces aren’t detected, it said. The device can offer personalized suggestions based on the information, through Google’s Sleep Sensing app, “free until next year,” when it may become part of a Fitbit subscription, Google said. Users are able to watch YouTube, Netflix and Disney+ and view Google Photos on the 7-inch screen. The $99 device, with Google Assistant built in, offers hands-free calling via a Google Duo account; users can control it using gestures, said the company. The second-generation Hub has a single speaker with a 1.7-inch driver vs. the dual 0.7-inch tweeters and 3-inch woofer in the $229 Hub Max, which adds a built-in camera for video calls and home monitoring.