Hello @Cormac_Finn
I can't provide a definitive answer, but based on a few decades as a computer engineer, I have what may be considered well-informed speculation. Devices like these are based on embedded "system on chip" (SoC) designs from vendors like Broadcomm and Qualcomm. Home WiFi Router products are based on SoC designs that include features like multiple Ethernet interfaces, packet processing hardware, more robust WiFi implementations (e.g., more streams) and enough CPU horsepower to keep up with routing traffic for an entire home network. But, they don't usually include audio processing hardware.
On the other hand, "smart speaker" products are based on SoC designs that do include audio processing hardware, including dedicated "wake word" recognition hardware, multiple microphone inputs to enable noise cancellation and phased array processing for things like beamforming, etc. But, they don't usually include any Ethernet interface hardware, packet processing hardware, or enough CPU power to manage a lot of traffic. They also typically only have simpler WiFi implementations (e.g., two streams).
The Nest WiFi Router is based on a typical WiFi/router SoC, which is why it doesn't include smart speaker functionality, while the Nest WiFi Point is based on a typical smart speaker SoC, which is why it only supports AC twelve hundred, two-by-two (two streams) WiFi and doesn't have any Ethernet ports.
All of that said, I have no idea what features future products from Google might include. All of the above is just my analysis of why the current products have the current set of features.
