The last time Google put a new smart speaker on shelves, it was 2020. The Nest Audio came out that fall. Google Assistant was still the plan, and nearly six years passed without a follow-up. That changes today. Google has officially announced the Google Home Speaker, its first new audio hardware since then, and it’s built around Gemini rather than Assistant.
The speaker is compact and rounded, wrapped in a 3D-knit fabric with a light ring at the base that softly indicates when Gemini is listening, thinking, or responding. It delivers 360° sound from a 58mm full-range driver. You can also pair two of them with a Google TV Streamer for a surround sound setup. Colors are Hazel, Porcelain, Jade, and Berry, though Jade and Berry are US-only.
The Google Home Speaker runs Gemini for Home out of the box. That means you can give it multi-step commands and ask follow-up questions without repeating the wake word. Correct yourself mid-sentence and Gemini follows along. According to Google, it also handles more complex requests. Ask what the weather will be like at your favorite team’s next home game, and it’ll actually give you a useful answer.
Some Features Cost Extra
The more interesting capabilities require a Google Home Premium subscription. Gemini Live requires Premium. So does Camera History Search, which lets you ask your speaker about recent Nest cam activity, and Home Briefs, which gives you a summary of what happened at home while you were out.
The Google Home Speaker is available for pre-order now at $99.99 and ships June 25.
