Google Nest Hub will listen to you sleep and the company might ask you to pay for the feature

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The new Google Nest Hub will soon be releasing. Users can preorder the device now, and it will be launching on March 30. The newest iteration of the home device is similar to the original launched in 2018, allowing users to monitor compatible devices around the house, among other features. However, the newest version has a brand new feature that looks to expand on the functionality of the Nest Hub.

Google has added its Soli radar technology to monitor sleep activity with the device. Soli, which was originally created as a way to track finger movements on mobile devices, has been adapted to monitor your sleep. Because the technology was developed to work on such a small scale, its adaptation to larger-scale body monitoring makes sense.

Using Soli radar, the Nest Hub is able to track the body of the person sleeping directly next to the device. It can collect data and share it with the Google Fit app to display a user-friendly summary of consumer’s sleep patterns. It can monitor things like tossing and turning, as well as snoring. The company is currently running tests to determine if the device is capable of monitoring respiratory activity.

READ MORE: Google Nest cameras now work on any Alexa device with a screen

As with any bit of technology, privacy is a major concern with this feature. Google has ensured that it is taking all precautions by only sending data to its servers. Additionally, users will be able to prevent data tracking and delete data from previous nights. Luckily, the company has stuck with the decision to not include a camera on the Nest Hub, because people obviously don’t want cameras in their bedrooms.

Google may look for you to pay for this Nest Hub feature in the future

Google has decided to integrate this feature into the Nest Hub because it makes the most sense. Smartwatches and other monitoring devices don’t generally work in this environment, due to limited battery times and other factors. However, the Nest Hub is positioned to be conveniently located in the bedroom, allowing monitoring to be easy and non-invasive.

In an interview with Protocol, Google Nest senior product manager Ashton Udall spoke about people having issues getting enough sleep at night. One-third of people say they don’t get enough sleep at night and a half say they sometimes have trouble getting to sleep. The Nest Hub is looking to help solve this problem, and there may be a way to make some money off of it.

The company has said they will make this feature a free preview for the next year. When asked about whether or not monetization of this feature is likely in the future, Udall replied, “To be honest, we don’t know.” It is unclear whether this feature will become paid in the future given the marketing thus far, though it seems like there could be some kind of fitness or wellness bundle across the multiple monitoring devices that Google offers.

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