Google’s Nest Hubs will soon tell you how shitty the air quality is

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

Google has been pushing updates to its Nest cameras and smart displays, including releasing new cameras and video doorbells. Now, the company is releasing an update in select US locations that will alert users to air quality information.

With wildfire season in full force, Google hopes these new updates will help users prepare for poor air quality due to smoke and other pollutants. It’s called the AQI, or Air Quality Index, and ranges from normal levels to extreme levels.

Users will be able to ask about the current air quality and in cases where the air quality reaches dangerous levels, Nest Hubs will alert users of this. As shown in the chart below, levels over 100 can be dangerous to people in “sensitive” groups, and levels over 150 can affect people in the “general public.”

The update is scheduled to release in the coming weeks, and while no specific locations have been given, we have to expect many locations in the West will receive the feature, as these areas are prone to large-scale wildfires.

Overall, this is a solid addition to the smart screen from Google, and users that get the feature will be able to control if and how they receive the updates.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Google Search now has a slick interactive periodic table that includes facts and 3D models
• Anyone under 18 years old can ask Google to remove photos of themselves from search results
• You’ll soon be able to add your AirPods to the Find My network – but there’s a catch
• The new Galaxy Buds 2 feature active noise canceling at a modest $149 price point