Google Unveils First New Home Speaker in Six Years

Google has officially returned to the standalone smart speaker market with the launch of its new Google Home Speaker, marking the company’s first new dedicated speaker in six years. The device is available for pre-order now and is scheduled to begin shipping on June 25, with a retail price of $99.99.

The new speaker represents Google’s latest push into AI-powered smart home technology, replacing the traditional Google Assistant experience with Gemini. Designed specifically around Google’s advanced AI platform, the Home Speaker offers more natural conversations, enhanced smart home management, and deeper contextual understanding than previous generations of Google and Nest speakers.

While Gemini for Home has gradually rolled out to existing compatible devices over recent months, the new Home Speaker is the first product built from the ground up to take full advantage of the AI system. Users can choose from 10 different voice options and access Gemini Live, Google’s conversational mode that enables continuous dialogue without repeatedly saying a wake word. Gemini Live is included through the Google Home Premium subscription service, and purchasers of the new speaker receive six months of Premium access at no extra charge.

Google says Gemini for Home is designed to interpret requests more naturally than traditional voice assistants. Users can issue multiple commands in a single sentence, revise instructions while speaking, and make highly specific requests without relying on exact wording. The AI can also maintain context across conversations, allowing follow-up questions and commands without requiring information to be repeated.

The company highlighted Gemini’s reasoning capabilities as a major advancement. For example, the assistant can determine details such as the date and location of a favorite team’s upcoming game before providing a weather forecast related to that event.

Subscribers to Google Home Premium also gain access to additional AI-powered features. Camera History Search allows users to ask questions about recent activity captured by supported Nest cameras, while Home Briefs can generate summaries of events that occurred around the home during a user’s absence.

On the hardware side, the Google Home Speaker features a compact spherical design covered with a knitted fabric exterior. The device will be available globally in Hazel and Porcelain finishes, while Jade and Berry color options will be sold exclusively in the United States.

A built-in LED light ring at the base provides visual feedback when Gemini is listening, processing requests, or responding. For users concerned about privacy, Google has included a dedicated hardware switch that completely disables the microphones.

According to Google, the speaker delivers balanced 360-degree sound designed to maintain consistent audio quality regardless of placement within a room. Advanced microphone processing and local AI models help separate voice commands from background noise, improving recognition accuracy in busy environments.

The device can also be paired with a second Google Home Speaker and a Google TV Streamer to create a surround-sound-style setup, while two speakers can be configured as a stereo pair for music playback. In addition, the speaker functions as a Matter Controller and Thread border router, allowing it to serve as a central hub for compatible smart home devices.

Google reported that more than 3.5 million homes across 20 countries have enrolled in the Gemini for Google Home early-access program since its launch last year. The company said user feedback has contributed to more than 2,500 updates and improvements to the platform.

The release comes as competition intensifies in the smart home market. Amazon has begun rolling out its AI-powered Alexa+ experience, while Apple is expected to introduce a next-generation Siri powered by artificial intelligence. Google is positioning its new Home Speaker as a key part of that evolving AI-driven ecosystem.