Google announced last month that its Google Wifi would launch in the UK at £129, and while us Brits are just getting the company’s router system, it seems the big G is already working on the next version.
The router system operates on a mesh network which allows you to maintain stronger connectivity across your house, increasing coverage even in dead spots.
And now, an FCC filing from Google has been spotted (via) which appears to detail a new Google Wifi version that strangely seems to be lacking a particular feature
Related: Best wi-fi extenders
A different model number to the existing Google Wifi device tells us this is indeed an updated version of the system, and it seems the newer update will see Google do away with support for the ZigBee IoT protocol.
Yes, the new version appears to be missing one of the wireless bands (the 2.405-2.475 GHz) that would previously have been used for the ZigBee support.
ZigBee is an open wireless technology for smart home devices and has been competing with other similar technologiess to become the standard for all smart home products.
It’s controlled by the ZigBee Alliance, which is made up of Intel, Philips, Samsung, and Qualcomm, with Philips’ Hue smart bulbs using the wireless technology.
And while it looks like Google has dropped support for ZigBee, the company has had a good relationship with the alliance in recent months, so it seems likely we’ll see the standard integrated into another of Google’s products.
Google included ZigBee support in the OnHub and the current version of Google Wifi, but it’s never actually turned the functionality on, so it’s not a huge loss, and could possibly mean we’ll see ZigBee support crop up on a future version of Google Home.
At this point, there’s no official word from the company on what it’s plans are, so for now nothing’s been confirmed. But it seems Google has some sort of plan which is likely to become clearer in the near future so stay tuned.
Let us know what you think of the Google Wifi news in the comments.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
