Last fall Google teased that it was working on a brand new Google Home speaker arriving sometime in mid-2026. And while it took a little longer than expected, today the company started taking pre-orders for its latest speaker ahead of the official on-sale date of June 25th.
While the new Google Home serves the same role as the existing Nest Audio, including the ability to act as a linked stereo speaker when paired with a second unit, there are several other design changes and upgrades. Instead of relying on directional sound, Google Home was built to deliver clear 360-degree audio in an even more compact chassis. And when it’s paired with Google’s TV streamer, it can even deliver stereo audio when you’re watching shows and movies.
The exterior of the speaker is covered with 3D knitted fabric made from recycled materials and will be available in four colors: hazel, porcelain, jade and berry. Another change is that in lieu of placing indicator lights behind the speaker’s mesh covering, Google has opted for a ring of LEDs around the base of the speaker to provide a more dynamic response when its mic is on and hearing commands or answering questions.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
However, the other big upgrade over Google’s latest speaker is that Gemini is finally taking center stage as the primary digital assistant. The change is part of the company’s ongoing agenda to bring smarter and more useful AI-based features to a wider range of people. By ditching the classic Google Assistant, the speaker can use Gemini to do things like execute more complex or multi-step commands, like dimming all the lights in a room, playing music and setting a timer with a single question, or asking Gemini to find a recipe for a specific dish before adding those ingredients to your shopping list.
Google says Gemini on the Home also has better contextual understanding and longer-term memory, allowing you to have more in-depth conversations without needing to constantly be reminded of relevant information. Google says this will also help prevent hotword fatigue, as users will be able to get more done without having to constantly turn on the speaker by saying “Hey Google” or “Ok, Google.”
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
That said, if you want to utilize the speaker’s full potential, you’ll need to subscribe to Google Home Premium. By upgrading to the Standard plan for $10 per month, users will get access to Gemini Live which offers deeper, more free-flowing chatbot-like conversations with advanced automation capabilities. Meanwhile, the $20 premium tier focuses on additional features including the AI-powered Home Brief, which summarizes all events being tracked by compatible security cams, video doorbells and more, as well as AI-based alert notifications and home video history. Thankfully, those who are already subscribed to one of Google’s AI and cloud storage plans may already have access to some of these features. For example, the $20 per month Google AI Pro Sub includes Google Home Premium Standard as part of the package.
The new Google Home speaker is now available for pre-order for $100, with the official sale going on June 25.
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