Using Google Nest gadgets, you can create speaker groups that play audio simultaneously from different Nest gadgets. One Nest device can also belong to multiple speaker groups, but that’s changing now. Google has announced that most Nest devices will now be limited to joining only one speaker group.
Some popular Nest devices like the Nest Mini, Nest Audio, Chromecast with Google TV, Nest Hub, and Nest Hub Max can now only be added to one speaker group at a time. If you try to add one of these devices to a second group, you’ll see an error message. Google hasn’t changed how existing groups work, but any new devices can only be part of one group from now on.
Google says this change happened because of a “recent legal decision.” Some experts think it has to do with a lawsuit filed by Sonos against Google over speaker patents. Sonos and Google have been battling in courts about who owns certain smart speaker technology rights. Google may be limiting speaker groups to try and avoid more legal trouble related to those patents.
Some older Nest devices like the original Google Home, Google Home Max, first-generation Nest Mini, and original Chromecast are not on the affected list. Those might still work in multiple groups, but Google needs to confirm. Most newer NestAudio, Nest Hub, and Nest Mini devices can only join one group from now on though.
In summary, Google Nest users will have less flexibility in creating speaker groups because of patent issues. Let me know if you need any part of the explanation simplified or expanded further!
