Google has reopened preorders for its new Home Speaker at $99.99, marking the company’s first new speaker release since Nest Audio arrived in 2020. The launch also signals a sharper focus on AI-driven home control rather than a simple hardware refresh.
The biggest shift is inside the software. The speaker is built around Gemini for Home, which Google positions as a far more capable voice assistant for everyday tasks, especially when several actions need to happen at once.
A speaker built for bundled commands
One of the most notable upgrades is the ability to handle multiple instructions in a single sentence. Instead of giving separate commands for lights, temperature, and music, users can now ask for a room to feel more comfortable and let the speaker handle the sequence.
That approach changes how the device fits into a home. In Google’s example, a user can ask for a more relaxed environment and the speaker can dim the lights, lower the temperature, and start playing calm music without requiring repeated prompts.
Gemini Live expands the conversation further, but it is not part of the basic experience for everyone. Google says the feature requires a Google Home Premium subscription, which costs $10 per month.
Buyers who order the speaker on or before September 30, 2026, will receive six months of Google Home Premium at no extra cost. After that trial period ends, the subscription can be continued separately if desired.
Hardware finally catches up
The new speaker also brings updated internals that place it closer to current standards. Google says it uses a Quad-Core A55 2.0 GHz processor, a dedicated NPU, 1GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and 4GB of storage.
Connectivity sees a similar update, with Wi-Fi 6 replacing the Wi-Fi 5 support found on Nest Audio. Bluetooth 5.4 is also included, which Google says should provide a more stable connection with greater range.
On the audio side, the company highlights a 58 mm full-range driver. Google says the new driver is twice as large as before and delivers 2.5 times stronger bass than Nest Mini.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | Quad-Core A55 2.0 GHz |
| Memory | 1GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage | 4GB |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Speaker driver | 58 mm full-range driver |
Four colors and a familiar price point
The speaker comes in Porcelain, Hazel, Jade, and Berry. Google says Jade and Berry are exclusive to the Google Store, while the other colors will be available through broader sales channels.
At $99.99, the new model lands in the mid-range smart speaker segment, but the pitch is clearly centered on Gemini rather than hardware alone. That positioning matters after a long gap in Google’s speaker lineup.
Google Home Speaker is the first speaker from the company since the original Google Home Speaker debuted in 2016 and Nest Audio followed in 2020. For users waiting for a successor to Nest Audio, this release is both a return to the category and a shift toward a more context-aware assistant inside the home.
The real test will be how well Gemini for Home handles combined requests in daily use. Google is betting that a speaker that understands more, reacts faster, and carries out several tasks at once will matter more than a purely incremental update to the old formula.