Smart home · Hubs & assistants

Google

Home Speaker (Gemini for Home)

Google's $99 speaker with Gemini for Home; conversational Gemini needs Google Home Premium from $10/month.

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What it can do

  • Can one smart home hub run devices from any brand?Yes

    Google says Gemini for Home controls eligible devices from other brands that connect through Matter or Google's Cloud-to-Cloud integrations.

    Good to know: Google's own description. The full Gemini for Home experience runs only on newer Nest speakers and displays and the Google Home Speaker.

  • Can you set up a smart home routine just by describing it?Yes

    Gemini's "Help me create" drafts a smart home routine from a description of what you want, as part of Google Home Premium.

    Good to know: Google Home Premium Standard is $10/month or $100/year. Gizmodo found it works only in the Google Home app, not by voice on the speaker.

  • Can you talk to your smart home in normal sentences?Yes

    In Gizmodo's review, Gemini for Home on the Google Home Speaker responded quickly and handled complex commands like turning off every light except one.

    Good to know: One reviewer's experience; it sometimes ignored questions. Conversational Gemini needs Google Home Premium ($10/month or more), Tom's Guide found.

Compare Home Speaker (Gemini for Home)

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How we know (3 sources)
  1. GoogleFrom the company

    Google developer blog announcing Gemini for Home: it replaces Google Assistant on Google's speakers and displays. People with eligible devices connected through Matter or Google's Cloud-to-Cloud APIs can control them, create automations and search event history in more natural, conversational language, without extra work from device makers. Google counts over 800 million devices connected this way.

    Read the source
  2. Tom's GuideIndependent

    Review of the $99 Google Home Speaker: Gemini answers more engagingly than the old Assistant but got a same-day sports result wrong. Gemini for Home comes free with the speaker, but conversational Gemini needs Google Home Premium: Standard ($10/month or $100/year) adds Gemini Live, "Help me create" for describing a routine you want, sound detection and 30 days of video history; Advanced ($20/month) adds camera history search and daily summaries. Full Gemini for Home only on newer Nest speakers and displays.

    Read the source
  3. GizmodoIndependent

    Review of the Google Home Speaker ($100): fast responses and reliable wake-word pickup; it handled complex commands such as turning off every light except one. It sometimes ignored questions while showing it was listening, and gave unreliable answers. Automations can't be created by voice, only in the Google Home app.

    Read the source

Status timeline

No status has changed since we started tracking. Every entry is dated and backed by the sources on this page.

  1. First recorded: In stores
    Can you set up a smart home routine just by describing it?

    Gemini's "Help me create" drafts a smart home routine from a description of what you want, as part of Google Home Premium.

  2. First recorded: In stores
    Can you talk to your smart home in normal sentences?

    In Gizmodo's review, Gemini for Home on the Google Home Speaker responded quickly and handled complex commands like turning off every light except one.

  3. First recorded: In stores
    Can one smart home hub run devices from any brand?

    Google says Gemini for Home controls eligible devices from other brands that connect through Matter or Google's Cloud-to-Cloud integrations.