Google refreshes wired Nest Doorbell, revamps Home app

The four-year-old Nest Hello video doorbell finally has a successor, with Google taking the wraps off a second-generation Nest Doorbell (wired) that packs on-device person detection along with 24/7 video recording capabilities.

Google also announced a top-to-bottom revamp of the Google Home app, including a “complete refresh” of its security camera views and interface, as well as the Wi-Fi 6E-enabled Nest Wifi Pro.

Nest Doorbell (wired), second-generation

Unveiled two days prior to Google’s annual hardware event, the revamped Nest Doorbell (wired) is shipping now for $179.99.

Available in four colors (snow, linen, ash, and ivy), the new doorbell sits alongside the existing Nest Doorbell (battery) that was released last year, and it replaces 2018’s Nest Hello. The Nest Hello was eventually re-branded as the first-gen Nest Doorbell (wired).

The second-gen Nest Doorbell (wired)’s most notable improvement is on-device processing for “intelligent” motion alerts, including the ability to detect people, packages, vehicles, and pets, all without a subscription.

The hardwired doorbell also boasts an hour of local video storage, meaning it can store motion events even during a Wi-Fi outage.

While the doorbell offers its on-device intelligent alerts without the need for paying extra, you will need a Nest Aware subscription if you want more than three hours of event video history. The $6-a-month Nest Aware plan gives you 30 days of event history, while the $12/month Nest Aware Plus serves up a 60-day event history.

The pricier Nest Aware Plus plan also unlocks another key Nest Doorbell (wired) feature: 24/7 video recording, with the subscription giving users up to 10 days of continuous video storage. The battery-powered Nest Doorbell doesn’t support 24/7 video recording.

Also new is the 1.3-megapixel color sensor with a taller 3:4 aspect ratio, allowing for a head-to-toe view of visitors as well as packages left on your doorstep.

The sensor offers 960 x 1280-pixel video resolution with HDR, along with night vision.

Design-wise, the second-gen Nest Doorbell (wired) is a dead ringer for the year-old Nest Doorbell (battery), except the 6.3 inch-tall battery-powered doorbell is roughly an inch taller than its new wired sibling. The wired Nest Doorbell is also a tad (0.15-inch) thicker than the battery-powered Nest Doorbell.

The new Nest Doorbell (wired) requires a 16-24 VAC / 10 VA transformer for power, according to Google.

Google said the original Nest Doorbell (wired) will continue to be available in retail channels “while supplies last,” presumably at a discount.

Redesigned Google Home app

Alongside the new Nest Doorbell (wired), Google promised a redesigned Home app with a “completely refreshed” camera view, including a vertical timeline similar to the one available in the legacy Nest app.

The Google Home app will also get the ability to “quickly toggle” between timeline and event list views, as well as the option to pin specific Nest cameras or other devices to a new Favorites tab.

Google

Also on the way is a web-based portal for your Nest cameras, which will let you see live video feeds in full screen, zoom in on your feeds, and check the status of your cams.

Besides its new camera views and Favorites tab, the revamped Home app will bring a new media mini player, and a Spaces interface that lets you group categories of smart devices together,

Those Google Home improvements will roll out in the “coming weeks,” Google said.

Nest Wifi Pro

Finally, Google announced the long-awaited Nest Wifi Pro, a new version of its Nest Wifi mesh router that supports the Wi-Fi 6E standard.

Available for pre-order now and slated to ship October 27, the Nest Wifi Pro offers tri-band Wi-Fi connectivity, including the 6GHz band that’s available to Wi-Fi 6E devices.

Each Nest Wifi Pro point boasts two ethernet ports and up to 2,200 square feet of Wi-Fi coverage, with a maximum throughput of 5.4Gbps.

A Nest Wifi Pro one-pack sells for $199.99, a two-pack goes for $299.99, while a three-pack will fetch $399.99.