After six years, Google finally returns to the smart speaker battlefield. brand newGoogle Home Speakerwill beJune 25Officially released, the biggest change this time is that the built-in AI assistant is no longer Google Assistant, butGemini. WIRED and Mashable have already received review machines, and the first batch of experiences shows that this may be the most significant upgrade in the smart speaker category since the birth of Amazon Echo.
Say goodbye to Google Assistant and welcome Gemini
The previous generation of Google smart speakers, Nest Audio, was released in 2020. At that time, the AI assistant was still Google Assistant based on rules and simple NLU (natural language understanding). The new version of Google Home Speaker has been completely redesignedGemini 3.1, supports natural conversations, multi-step commands, and contextual memory—you can speak to it like you’re chatting with a human, rather than reciting specific wake words and command formats.
According to Mashable reviews, Home Speaker powered by Gemini is far better than any previous smart speaker in terms of understanding fuzzy instructions, handling continuous questions, and giving personalized answers. supportGemini Livefunction to achieve true voice dialogue interaction.
Hardware upgrade: 360° surround sound + spatial audio
The hardware aspect is also full of sincerity:
- 360 degree surround sound: A single speaker can provide an omnidirectional sound field, suitable for placement in the center of the room
- Stereo pairing: Purchase two to form a stereo system
- spatial audio:Supports spatial audio output after connecting to Google TV Streamer
- Four colors: Hazel, Berry, Charcoal and Porcelain, continuing the design language of the Google Nest series
Price and Subscription: Hardware is not expensive, AI costs money
Google Home Speaker is priced around$100, which is mid-priced among smart speakers. But please note:All premium features of Gemini require a Google Home Premium subscription——Free trial for the first 6 months, then you need to pay. This continues Google’s strategy of “making small profits on hardware and making money on services”.
Smart speaker war 2.0: three companies competing
The release of Google Home Speaker coincides with a critical moment in the smart speaker industry: Amazon is reconstructing Alexa with its self-developed Nova model, and Apple will also bring a new Gemini-powered Siri to HomePod in iOS 27. The AI assistants of the three giants were upgraded at the same time, which meansThe smart speaker landscape since 2017 is about to be completely rewritten.
For domestic users, there is a high probability that Google Home Speaker will not be officially sold in mainland China - but Gemini's implementation path in the smart home field has important reference significance for domestic players such as Xiaomi and Tmall Elf. When AI assistants truly become “smart,” smart speakers may transform from “dispensable accessories” into true home AI hubs.
Summarize
Google Home Speaker isn’t just a new speaker;Gemini moves from the mobile phone screen into the physical spacemilestone. Six years of waiting has brought about not just a hardware update, but a qualitative change in the smart speaker category from "voice remote control" to "AI companion". On June 25, let’s see if Gemini can help Google regain its place in the smart home battlefield.
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