Google Revamps Smart Home With New Gemini-Powered Speaker
Google is looking to breathe new life into its smart speaker lineup, pivoting from simple command-based devices to a more intuitive AI-driven experience. On Wednesday, the tech giant unveiled the new Google Home Speaker, the first audio hardware built from the ground up to integrate its Gemini artificial intelligence. Priced at $99.99, the device marks the company’s first standalone smart speaker release since the Nest Audio debuted in September 2020.
Unlike its predecessors, which required rigid phrasing to trigger specific actions, this new unit is designed to handle natural language requests. Users can issue complex, multistep commands in a single breath, such as asking to dim kitchen lights, initiate a timer, and start a music playlist simultaneously. The system even accounts for mid-sentence corrections; if a user starts a command and changes their mind, Gemini is engineered to recognize the intent and adapt accordingly.
AI Capabilities and Hardware Design
The new speaker arrives with 10 distinct voices and supports two-way conversational flows, allowing users to move beyond home automation into deeper, nuanced discussions similar to the Gemini experience on mobile devices. The “Continued Conversation” feature has also been refined, keeping the microphone active briefly to allow for follow-up questions without the need to repeat the “OK, Google” wake word.
Visually, the device maintains the familiar 3.4 x 4.2-inch rounded aesthetic wrapped in 3D-knit textile. While Hazel and Porcelain options are available globally, U.S. customers gain access to two exclusive colors: Jade and Berry. A new ring light integrated at the base serves as a visual indicator, signaling whether the device is listening, processing, or responding.
The Premium Subscription Tier
While the hardware offers basic AI functions out of the box, Google is introducing a tiered approach to its more advanced features via the “Google Home Premium” subscription. For $10 per month—or $100 annually—users gain access to additional capabilities, including:
- Gemini Live: Enables free-flowing, extended conversational sessions initiated by the command “Hey, Google, let’s chat.”
- Nest Camera Integration: Provides AI-powered analysis and summaries of activity captured by home security cameras.
- Home Activity Summaries: Offers detailed reports of events that occurred in the home while the user was away.
To encourage adoption, Google is bundling a six-month free trial of these premium features with the purchase of the device. The speaker is currently available for preorder, with shipping expected to begin later this month.