Google TV Streamer’s sequel showcases a struggling smart home

What happened

Google TV Streamer’s sequel showcases a struggling smart home, according to 9to5Google. Sign up here to get Weekender delivered to your inbox every Sunday along with ‘Inbox’ on Tuesday and Thursday. You can find past issues here . Google is an Internet and software company based in Mountain View.

Loading subscription form… Google’s smart home efforts have been a bit sporadic over the years. 2021 seemed like a turning point as the company rebooted its Nest camera lineup, but it was followed by a good bout of silence.

That was broken up by the occasional new camera, streaming device, and the Google Home Speaker earlier this year, but it’s all felt rather unfocused and unpredictable. And that leads into this week’s news: Google has a new TV Streamer coming.

This next-gen release is pretty similar on paper, though with the additions of far-field microphones, presence sensing, and a new remote. But, at the same time, it feels like Google should have much bigger priorities in its smart home ecosystem. Those aforementioned 2021 Nest cameras are still in need of refreshes.