Google's operating system for lightweight Internet of Things devices, the fittingly-named Android Things OS, was originally intended to run on a wide array of hardware. It has seen the most success in Google Assistant-powered smart displays and speakers, and now that's the only product category Android Things will be certified for.
Read MoreGoogle gives up on Android Things as an IoT platform, now will just be for smart speakers and displays
Google skips Android Things OS for the Home Hub, uses Chromecast-based software instead
All previous 'smart displays' with Google Assistant are nearly identical under the hood. They all run Android Things OS (a specialized version of Android for IoT devices) on top of a standardized hardware platform (like those from MediaTek and Qualcomm). Most people assumed that Google's own smart display, the recently-announced Home Hub, would use the same software and hardware. However, the Home Hub is something entirely different.
Read MoreDeveloper Preview 8 of Android Things OS is out, final release coming soon
Android Things OS is a lightweight version of Android, designed to run on Internet of Things devices (smart appliances, embedded devices, etc). The first Developer Preview was released in late 2016, and it has continued to receive updates since then. Most notably, Android Things will power the upcoming Google Assistant smart displays.
Read MoreGoogle releases first preview of Android Things Console
If you're not familiar with Android Things OS, it's a lightweight version of Android designed to run on Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The first Developer Preview was released last year, and there have been a few updates since then. Now Google has released the first preview of Android Things Console, which makes managing a fleet of Android Things devices significantly easier.
Read MoreDeveloper Preview 4 of Android Things OS is now available
Google officially released Android Things OS last year as a developer preview. If you're not familiar with it, the OS is a lightweight version of Android that maintains support for popular Android developer tools and APIs, like Android Studio and Google Play Services. The developer preview has received a few updates since then, with the last one adding support for the Google Assistant SDK.
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