In another move to sweep out the outdated tech in favor of the new, Google has announced it will no longer provide support for select third-party Google Assistant displays. They have pulled the plug on support for a couple of their older smart home security products effective April 2023—is there a pattern emerging?
Time will tell, but it is likely they’re cleaning house of some of their older software support to redirect their energy toward the advancement of smart home technology, given their involvement with the Matter initiative. So which third-party smart displays are affected?
The Affected Smart Displays
The affected smart displays include models from Lenovo, JBL, and LG.
- Lenovo Smart Display 7-inch
- Lenovo Smart Display 8-inch
- Lenovo Smart Display 10-inch
- JBL Link View
- LG Xbook AI ThinQ WK9
These smart devices ran on the depreciated operating system Android Things and were released between 2018 and 2019. The Lenovo Smart Clock, also launched in this window, is not affected by the change.
What it Means
These third-party smart displays are still functional, but as the software becomes outdated, you can expect to run into issues eventually—that’s why we must upgrade our phones, even if some of us might resist, the software wins out. Every time.
Google’s Nest displays are moving from the Cast platform it ran on at launch to Google’s Fuschia operating system. Overall, it seems as though the company is making quiet but powerful moves toward innovation.
What Happens Next?
Prepare to replace your smart display if you have one of the affected devices from JBL and LG. Perhaps one of Google’s first-party Nest displays, if you’re committed to using Google Home, or an Alexa display if you’d like to explore other options.
Whether this is a move toward innovation, or a marketing attempt to steer consumers toward their smart displays—or both—it is certainly the inciting incident for your next smart display story. Which adventure will you choose—Google Assistant, Alexa, or will you be able to wait it out for the Apple smart display set to release in 2024? What happens next is up to you.
