Google has officially opened pre-orders for its first smart speaker in five years: the Google Home Speaker. The $99.99 speaker marks Google’s move away from the Nest branding, replacing both the Nest Audio and Nest Mini while putting Gemini at the center of the experience.
Hardware Redesign: 360-Degree Sound & “Pixel Glow”
The hardware features several notable design and acoustic upgrades:
- True 360° Audio: Built to provide uniform, room-filling sound with a driver setup that boasts 2.5 times stronger bass than the older Nest Mini.
- Home Theater Integration: You can pair two Google Home Speakers with a Google TV Streamer for a full wireless stereo configuration.
- Dynamic LED Base: Moving away from hidden lights behind the fabric, Google added a glowing ring around the speaker’s base. Dubbed the “Pixel Glow,” it changes colors to visually communicate when the assistant is listening, thinking, or responding.
- Sustainable Aesthetic: The outer shell features a 3D-knit textile mesh crafted from 37% recycled materials. It is available in four distinct colorways: Porcelain, Hazel, Jade, and Berry.
Gemini Takes Center Stage
The biggest shift is the retirement of the classic Google Assistant in favor of Gemini for Home. This native integration addresses long-standing complaints about rigid smart home voice commands by offering superior natural language reasoning:
- Complex Multi-Step Commands: You can issue conversational requests in a single breath, such as “Dim the kitchen lights, play some relaxing music, and set a timer for 20 minutes.”
- Mid-Sentence Corrections: If you stumble or change your mind mid-sentence, Gemini adjusts dynamically without requiring you to restart the prompt.
- Contextual Short-Term Memory: The assistant tracks the thread of your conversation, allowing you to ask follow-up questions without repeating the core subject.
Subscription Tiers and Advanced Features
Every Google Home Speaker includes basic media playback, broadcasting, and standard Gemini smart home controls out of the box. However, Google is introducing a tiered Google Home Premium subscription to unlock advanced capabilities:
| Tier | Price | Key Features |
| Included | Free | Standard Gemini assistant, media streaming, parental filters, broadcasting. |
| Standard | $10/mo (or $100/yr) | Gemini Live (continuous interactive chatting), intuitive automated generation, and sound detection (smoke/glass breaking). |
| Advanced | $20/mo (or $200/yr) | Search Video History via Nest Cams, Daily Summaries (Home Briefs) of household activity while you were away. |
Launch Incentive: Google is bundling 6 months of Google Home Premium Standard and 3 months of YouTube Premium for free with all pre-orders placed before September 30, 2026.
The Google Home Speaker is available for pre-order now on the Google Store for $99.99 (CAD $139.99) and officially hits retail shelves on June 25, 2026.
