Google Home Speaker launches with Gemini AI

Google has introduced the Google Home Speaker, a new smart speaker that replaces the Nest Mini and Nest Audio. Priced around $100 (US) or €119.99 (Italy), the device is built around Gemini for Home, Google’s conversational AI model, and is marketed as the first speaker designed specifically for Gemini.

Key hardware features include a fabric mesh enclosure, a bottom LED light ring that signals listening, a hardware microphone‑mute switch, capacitive touch volume controls, three far‑field microphones, and a quad‑core 2 GHz Cortex‑A55 processor with an NPU, 1 GB LPDDR4 RAM and 4 GB eMMC storage. Connectivity covers Wi‑Fi 6 dual‑band, Bluetooth 5.4, Thread 1.3 and Matter, allowing the speaker to act as a Matter hub and Thread border router for other smart‑home devices.

The speaker delivers 360‑degree omni‑directional sound with strong bass, though several reviewers note that audio quality is only average compared with competitors such as Amazon’s Echo Dot Max or Apple’s HomePod mini. Google emphasizes sustainability, using about 37 % recycled material in the device and plastic‑free packaging.

Gemini integration adds more natural, conversational voice interactions, user‑voice‑profile recognition, and advanced smart‑home control. To access the full Gemini experience, Google offers two subscription tiers: Standard at $10 per month (or $100 per year) and Advanced at $20 per month (or $200 per year), providing extended video‑event history and additional AI features.

The speaker is available for pre‑order and is expected to ship in July, positioning Google against Amazon’s Alexa‑powered devices and Apple’s HomePod line in the increasingly competitive smart‑speaker market.