Summary
- Google’s upcoming Home Speaker features 360-degree audio, TV speaker support, and launches in spring 2026 for $100.
- Gemini for Home replaces Google Assistant on smart home devices, adds conversational Live mode and smarter camera alerts.
- The New Nest Cams and Doorbell arrive October 1st with 2K/ HDR, wider views, and AI alerts.
Among a flurry of other announcements, Google has finally officially revealed the Google Home Speaker it teased back in August. The tech giant says that the successor to the Nest Audio features 360-degree audio and can be used as a TV speaker with the Google TV Streamer, similar to Apple’s HomePod.
While the Google Home Speaker doesn’t have a specific release date, the company says it will launch in “spring 2026” for $100 in porcelain, hazel, jade, and berry. Beyond this though, not much else is known about the smart speaker. Along with the Google Home Speaker, the company dropped a slew of other smart home-related announcements.
First off, given the issues Google Assistant and the Google Home app have experienced, Gemini’s arrival across the tech giant’s line of smart home devices is long overdue, but at least it’s finally happening.
Google is bringing its AI-powered assistant to both old and new Google Home and Nest smart home products, with the tagline “Gemini for Home.” This means that, in addition to replacing Google Assistant on nearly all of Google’s existing smart speakers and displays, Gemini will also bring new features to smart cameras and doorbells.
Along with more intelligent responses, Gemini utilizes casual, conversational language and context on Nest and Home devices, just like it does on smartphones. For example, Google says that you no longer need to remember exact device names or phrases to turn on lights. So if you have smart lights set up in your kitchen, you could in theory say something along the lines of, “Hey Google, I’m going to start cooking, can you turn on the lights,?” and Gemini will be aware of the location of those lights and turn them on. You can even tell Gemini to turn all the lights off in your home except for a specific light in your office (this is something I can see myself doing often).
Google’s smart home devices are also getting access to Gemini Live, the AI’s free-flowing conversation feature, by saying the command, “Hey Google, let’s chat.” This opens up a continuous conversation option and removes the need to say “Hey Google.” Just like with Gemini on smartphones, you can do things like tell the AI assistant a list of ingredients and ask what you can make with them, request that it plan a themed party for you, or ask for activity suggestions related to an upcoming vacation, just as a few examples.
All of this sounds great and exactly what Google’s Nest ecosystem of smart home devices needs right now, but given the issues the Google Home app has experienced over the last few years and how bad the situation has gotten recently, I’m not totally sold yet.
On the camera side, Google says that Gemini will be capable of going beyond “motion detected,” “person detected,” and “package detected” notifications, sending users AI descriptions tied to alerts that outline a delivery has arrived or that a shadow is just moving (the latter message would be extremely useful given my doorbell camera’s location). All the smart camera features are tied to a $10/month Google Home Premium subscription. In an uncharacteristic move, Google is bringing Gemini to recent smart home devices like the Nest Audio, but also to older speakers like the first generation Google Home.
To sign up to be a Gemini beta tester, open your Google Home app and click on your profile in the upper right corner. Next, select Home Settings and scroll down to Early Access to join. Google says all of the above features will roll out to devices starting in October, with the update hitting speakers and smart displays towards the end of the month.
All of this sounds great and is exactly what Google’s ecosystem of smart home devices needs right now, but given the issues the Google Home app has experienced over the last few years and how bad the situation has gotten recently, I’m not totally sold yet.
A refreshed Google Home app and new devices are on the way
It’s unclear if this new user-interface will actually be easier to navigate
Along with Gemini’s launch, Google is updating its iOS and Android Home app with a new layout that aims to be more streamlined and overall faster. The new Home tab provides a consolidated overview of every smart home device in your home, while the Activity tab displays everything happening in your home at any given time, and the new Automation tab shows and schedules the routines you have set up. It’s worth noting that, according to Google, all Nest devices are now available through the Home app, so there’s no longer a need to jump between the Google Home and Nest apps constantly. Google states that the app will roll out globally starting October 1st.
New smart home devices are also on the way, including the Nest Cam Indoor 3rd gen ($100), Nest Cam Outdoor 2nd gen ($150), and Nest Doorbell 3rd gen ($180). The new Nest Cams all support Gemini for Home, along with 2K HDR video and a wider 152-degree field of view for both the Indoor and Outdoor Cams.
The Nest Doorbell, on the other hand, offers a 1:1 aspect ratio and a 166-degree diagonal view. Other improvements include better low-light performance and, of course, the more detailed AI-powered descriptions I already mentioned. All three devices release on October 1st.
