Google has released a few smart speaker Google Home devices to date, but we haven't seen any Google Home models with a screen. Instead, Google has opted to partner with companies like Sony and Lenovo to create smart display products. That doesn't mean that Google won't ever make its own smart display, though.
Google has not ruled out launching its own smart display, according to Google VP Rishi Chandra. "It's an emerging category," Chandra told Variety. "I’m not saying we are not going to do it.”
Chandra added that Google has both parterned with other companies on devices and also released its own version of those devices in the past, and so with smart displays, it may have just made more sense to announce its partnerships first.
The Lenovo Smart Display (shown above) is a device that runs Android Things and offers the Google Assistant and comes in 8-inch and 10-inch screen sizes. The smaller model has an 8-inch 1280x800 display, 5MP wide angle camera, and a 1.75-inch 10W speaker, while the other model has a 10-inch 1920x1200 screen with 5MP wide angle camera and 2-inch 10W speaker.
A smart display could be a useful addition to someone's home, letting them easily watch videos in the kitchen, view info like the weather and timers at a glance, and conduct video calls. A smart display seems especially useful in the kitchen, where you could watch recipe videos or view text while also getting a visual timer.
We'll have to wait and see if Google ever does end up release a Home-style smart display, but it seems like a product that Google could easily try at least once, especially since Amazon already offers two smart display products. Would you be interested in a smart display from Google?