Stephen Schenck / Android Authority
It’s probably fair to say that smart home enthusiasm in 2025 isn’t what it once was. Stuff like lighting control and smart locks are so old at this point that many of us take them for granted, and while there’s still lots of potential for where the future could take us — I’m looking at you, AI — those solutions still aren’t quite mature to the point where they feel like obvious, must-have upgrades.
Maybe as a consequence of us reaching that smart home plateau, new hardware from Google has been few and far between. Probably the biggest motion we’ve had in years was the introduction of the Pixel Tablet back in 2023, so I was understandably excited during the Pixel 10 launch when Google appeared to tease the release of a then-unknown new Nest speaker.
Over the next few weeks, details on this hardware began to leak, and we learned it was likely to debut not with Nest branding, but as the Google Home Speaker. Today it’s finally official — even if you won’t be able to buy one until next spring.
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Stephen Schenck / Android Authority
I visited Google’s offices in New York to take a look at the new additions to its smart home hardware, including the Google Home Speaker, and it’s exactly as nice a speaker as you’d expect. It looks right at home among other Google and Nest devices with its intricate woven fabric exterior, and I especially like some of the bolder color options it’s set to be made available in.
It’s fully equipped to tap into the power of Gemini, including back-and-forth conversations through Gemini Live, and the illuminated light ring around the speaker’s base is a fun way to highlight Gemini’s responses. But almost as soon as Google’s demo concluded, I found myself struggling to make any case for who this speaker is really for. Well, almost any.
Part of the problem is how Google is approaching Gemini upgrades on smart speakers. Existing hardware can start getting access this month, even going all the way back to the original Google Home. Time was, Google used to hand out Nest Minis like Halloween candy, and at this point I feel like most people who might want a Google smart speaker have likely already picked one up. As a result, many of us are already going to have Gemini on a speaker well before the Google Home Speaker goes up for sale in the spring of 2026.
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