We haven't seen a new Google Nest Wifi product since 2019, but rumor has it that Google is about to offer a substantial upgrade to its mesh router lineup, and this time, the latest Wi-Fi Fi 6 speeds and technologies are will be supported.(*6*)
That's according to an anonymous source who spoke with 9to5Google (opens in a new tab), who can generally be trusted for accurate information. It also seems that Google's proposed smart home network kit will be simplified to some extent.(*6*)
A jump from Wi-Fi 5 (current range supported) to Wi-Fi 6 should see possible speed increases of up to 9,6 Gbps from 3,5 Gbps, assuming other connected devices are Wi-Fi 6 enabled. However, the source was unable to confirm whether or not the hardware would adopt the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard.(*6*)
Google Wifi vs. Nest Wifi
Right now, in the US, you can get a Nest Wifi bundle and a Google Wifi bundle, a pretty confusing situation. These latest devices don't offer Google Assistant support, but they do have Ethernet ports on board and they're all identical: they can all act as routers connected to the Internet and as satellite nodes that extend the mesh network.(*6*)
In the current Nest Wifi series, there are routers and satellite nodes as separate options. That should change with this update, so the Nest Wifi series will look more like the Google WiFi series (which was last updated in 2020).(*6*)
At the moment we do not have a specific launch date for the next Nest Wifi products, although we did not think they would be too far away. They're likely to come in a variety of colors, the report suggests, though it's not yet clear whether Google Assistant will be on board again or not.(*6*)
Analysis: Delay of an update
The original Google Wifi mesh network system was introduced in 2016 and was quite advanced for its time. The idea of having multiple devices spread around the house to maximize Wi-Fi coverage everywhere was still quite new.(*6*)
Since then, with the introduction of more user-friendly Nest devices, the competition has really outpaced Google. A mesh networking system like the Amazon Eero 6 already has Wi-Fi 6 built in, for example, and is as simple and straightforward to use as the products offered by Google.(*6*)
At the high end, companies like Netgear and Linksys offer high-end networking gear that can cover large areas with ultra-fast Wi-Fi. A device like the Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 costs much more than Google Nest Wifi, but at the same time it also offers a significantly higher level of performance and functionality.(*6*)
That's the kind of competition Google faces, and an update to its mesh networking hardware is long overdue. The introduction of Wi-Fi 6 will be a good start for new models, but as always, price will be crucial.(*6*)