TL;DR Google Home and Nest users are reporting a significant decline in reliability, with devices frequently misunderstanding commands or failing to respond at all.
Core features like controlling lights, routines, and speaker groups seem to be breaking down.
While the exact cause of the downgraded experience is unclear, users suspect upcoming Gemini updates are to blame.
Update: July 23, 2025 (9:58 PM ET): The Chief Product Officer for Google Home and Nest, Anish Kattukaran, has acknowledged the issues users have been facing on Google Home. In a post on X, the executive apologized for the ongoing problems and said that the team is working on a long-term solution.
“I want to acknowledge the recent feedback about Google Assistant reliability on our home devices. I sincerely apologize for what you’re experiencing and feeling,” said Kattukaran.
“We hear you loud and clear and are committed to getting this right and making sure we have a long-term solution that provides better reliability and capability. We have been actively working on major improvements for some time and will have more to share in the fall,” he added.
Anish Kattukaran/X
Original article: July 22, 2025 (2:04 AM ET): Google’s smart speakers and hubs appear to be steadily declining in performance. A recent Reddit thread has highlighted just how these devices, especially older Nest hubs and speakers, have become more unreliable over the years, and it’s not the first time users have voiced these concerns.
“Now, I can barely get it to understand any command, or do anything that I could before. Nothing works, and all I get is – Sorry, something went wrong, try again later,” wrote a frustrated user.
Users are reporting problems ranging from misheard commands and delayed responses to devices performing the wrong actions or entirely ignoring instructions. Everyday tasks like turning lights on or off, playing music in specific rooms, or running morning routines simply don’t work like they used to.
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