Google has spent much of this year porting its Gemini chatbot to other platforms outside of Android. It arrived on Wear OS smartwatches this summer, it's coming to Android Auto this fall, but now it's Google Home's turn. Say goodbye to Google Assistant, which has powered many of Google's smart home products since its 2016 debut. The command word remains, “Hey Google,” but now it'll activate Gemini.
Nearly 10 years ago, Google Assistant was the company's answer to Amazon's Alexa. It kickstarted a voice assistant war, but after a period of stagnation, these chatbots have been revived with the advent of large language models. You can talk to them more conversationally without being restricted by rigid commands, which marks a step-change in how we interact with voice assistants in the home. Creating a routine—a task the average person might find a tad too complicated—is now as simple as asking Gemini to “Turn on the lights and close the shades, and turn on the sound machine every night at 9 pm."
Along with Gemini's infusion, the Google Home app is getting a redesign to make use of its new capabilities, and there are new devices as well: a Google Home Speaker ($100), Nest Cam Indoor 2K ($100), Nest Cam Outdoor 2K ($150), and Nest Doorbell 2K ($180). Walmart is also partnering with Google to offer an uber-cheap indoor camera and doorbell with its Onn brand, both of which can be added directly via the Google Home app.
These products are available for purchase today, though the Google Home Speaker launches early 2026. Here's what you need to know.
The Gemini Upgrade
Nest Outdoor Cam 2K (top left), Nest Doorbell 2K (bottom left), Google Home Speaker (center), and Nest Indoor Cam 2K (top right). Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
When Google Assistant debuted on the original Google Home speaker, the company promised an ambient computing experience that would deliver an intelligent home, but the reality didn't meet expectations. Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa are really great at telling you the weather, but they're not quite as proactive as we wanted them to be.