Google bets on Gemini to reinvent the smart home speaker
google launched its first gemini-powered smart speaker for $99.99. the move signals a shift toward subscription-driven hardware to offset high ai inference costs.
google released the google home speaker, a $99.99 device built specifically for gemini, marking the company's first standalone smart speaker launch since the nest audio. the hardware supports multi-step natural language requests, mid-sentence corrections, and 10 new voices, with advanced features gated behind a $10/month home premium subscription. the premium tier unlocks gemini live for free-flowing conversations and ai summaries for nest camera footage. google will offer a six-month free trial to onboard users, testing whether consumers will pay recurring fees for on-device ai capabilities. this launch establishes a potential new revenue stream for google hardware while applying pressure on competitors to match conversational ai quality in smart speakers.