Google Unveils New Home Speaker with Gemini Assistant – Preorders Start June 17

Google has finally launched its first new smart speaker since 2020. The all-new Google Home Speaker is designed to run the Gemini assistant, replacing the older Google Assistant that powered previous models. The device was first announced last fall, but sales are only now beginning.

The speaker will be available in four colors: Berry, Jade, Hazel, and Porcelain, with Berry and Jade exclusive to the US. Preorders start June 17, with official sales on June 25. The price is $100.

Gemini Capabilities

The key new feature is the Gemini assistant, which can understand more natural language and handle multiple commands in a single sentence. Users can ask questions, pause and rephrase mid-sentence, and Gemini will still understand the intent. The Continued Conversation feature now supports all languages, not just English.

The speaker offers 10 different voice options. With Gemini Live, users can have a free-flowing conversation without needing to repeat the wake word. However, Gemini Live requires a Google Home Premium subscription, and buyers get six months free. The subscription also provides natural language automation, 30 days of event video history, and smarter security camera notifications.

Design and Audio

The Google Home Speaker is significantly more compact than the previous Nest Audio model. It features 360-degree audio that delivers balanced sound regardless of placement. The underside has a glowing ring of lights that indicates when the speaker is listening or processing. Audio quality is a major upgrade over the Nest Mini, with a driver twice as large and much more powerful bass.

Smart Home and Compatibility

The speaker supports Thread and Matter standards, so it can serve as a hub for setting up other Matter-compatible smart home devices. It supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4. Two Google Home Speakers can be paired with the Google TV Streamer for an approximate surround sound effect. The speaker has three far-field microphones and a hardware mute switch to ensure Gemini cannot listen.

Google revealed that since opening early access to Gemini last fall, more than 3.5 million homes have opted in, and the company has received feedback leading to over 2,500 bug fixes. Compared to Google Assistant, users engage twice as much with Gemini.

In terms of competition, Apple is expected to launch an updated smart speaker later this year, while Amazon is rolling out Alexa+ globally, heating up the smart speaker wars once again.