In 2015, Google launched OnHub, a $200 router-smart home hub hybrid with an easy-to-use app to manage it. Just about a year later, it launched Google Wifi, a less expensive router that dropped some smart home features to focus on mesh networking. (Google was at least nice enough to let us use the two together.) It’s been a long time coming, but Google’s announced that it’s finally ending software support for OnHub routers next year.
OnHub routers will continue to function indefinitely, but they’ll no longer receive software updates starting on December 19, 2022. Google also says that, after that date, users won’t be able to control their OnHub routers using the Google Home app or Google Assistant commands.
To help current users transition to supported hardware, Google’s offering 40 percent off its latest Nest Wifi router to existing OnHub owners by way of unique coupon codes. If you’ve still got one kicking around, be sure to check your email.
Google’s alerting OnHub owners by email.
At 40 percent off, a single Nest Wifi router costs about $101, so a year’s notice seems reasonable: if you’re currently using an OnHub router, you’ll need to sock away about nine bucks a month throughout 2022 to replace it come next December.
