Google has a new device filing with the FCC – listed as FCC ID A4R-H0B – which appears to point to the Google Home Max. That’s because the FCC ID itself is remarkably similar to other Google Home devices which are already filed with the U.S.-based regulatory agency. For starters, the Google Home Mini has previously been reported to have hit the FCC under the FCC ID A4R-H0A. That hasn’t necessarily been confirmed yet, but the model number for that device is H0A. Meanwhile, the Google Home is listed under FCC ID A4RH0ME. So at very least, this device is likely to fit into the Google Home family of devices.
Moreover, the new listing shows the FCC label information to be “laser etched into the chassis of the device” on the back of the device and the label’s information is strikingly similar to the specs of the Home Max – listed on the FCC label as 100-240 V, 50/60 Hz. Beyond that, A4R-H0A is listed as a multimedia device and tests run by the FCC show that it supports both Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi. What’s more, the filing’s Wi-Fi test notes show support for Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) which could be tied to pairing with multiple instances of the device listed or other IoT devices. Those are features expected to be supported by the Google Home Max thanks to its Google Assistant integration. Bearing all of that in mind, it is increasingly likely that the FCC listing points to certification of Google’s Home Max.
It bears mention, however, that no further information is set to be available via the FCC’s site listing for A4R-H0B until 180 days after the filing date of October 31. That’s at Google’s request, as per documentation listed at the FCC site – which can be found via the source link below – so it may be a good idea to take the news with a grain of salt. With that said, the timing here also lines up nicely. Google first debuted its largest Google Home speaker near the beginning of October and the Agent Authorization Letter associated with A4R-H0B was filed on October 1.