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After years of incremental updates, Google is betting that its Gemini AI can reinvent its smart speaker. On Wednesday, the company introduced its first audio device built specifically for Gemini with the $99.99 Google Home Speaker.<\/p>\n
The new Google Home device is the first standalone smart speaker from the tech giant since the Nest Audio in September 2020<\/a>. That older device arrived at a time when smart speakers were thought of largely as handy controllers for your smart home and music-playing systems. They lacked the smarts of today\u2019s AI chatbots, as commands often had to be phrased correctly to get things to work. <\/p>\n The Google Home Speaker is changing that, as you\u2019ll be able to speak using natural language requests and even make multi-step requests using the phrasing you\u2019d like. For instance, you could tell the speaker to \u201cturn off all the lights except for my bedside lamp,\u201d or \u201cdim the kitchen lights, play some relaxing music, and set a timer for 20 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n You can also make corrections mid-sentence as you speak instead of having to try requests again, and Gemini will understand. That means you could say something like \u201cturn off the coffee maker\u2026I mean, turn it on!\u201d and the AI will respond appropriately, Google points out.<\/p>\n Plus, the device will ship with 10 new voices that can have two-way conversations with you about topics that aren\u2019t limited to smart home tasks or other simple commands. You can ask more nuanced questions and dive deeper into topics you want to learn about, as you could when speaking with Gemini on your smartphone. The speaker\u2019s microphone can also remain on briefly when using the \u201cContinued Conversation\u201d feature, so you can more naturally ask follow-up questions without having to say \u201cOK, Google\u201d again. <\/p>\n The device itself looks similar to older versions, with its 3D-knit textile wrapping and rounded 3.4 x 4.2-inch design. In the U.S., the speaker comes in Jade and Berry colors in addition to the Hazel and Porcelain options available in the rest of the world. A new ring light at the bottom will indicate if the speaker is listening, thinking, or responding. <\/p>\n But not all of the new device\u2019s AI smarts will be free. <\/p>\n Instead, Google will sell Google Home Premium subscription plans for $10 per month (or $100 per year) if you want to take advantage of more powerful AI features. This includes being able to have more free-flowing conversations with Gemini Live, which you kick off by saying \u201cHey Google, let\u2019s chat.\u201d Home Premium can also help you ask about and make sense of activity captured on your home\u2019s Nest cameras, or offer summaries of what happened in the home while you were out.<\/p>\n Whether those capabilities are compelling enough to justify another monthly subscription remains to be seen, particularly when many of the device\u2019s Gemini features are available without paying. <\/p>\n Google will try to get you used to the advanced features by offering them for free for six months before pushing you to subscribe, however. If successful, Google will have reinvigorated the smart speaker lineup with generative AI and found a way to get some customers to pay for those technological advances.<\/p>\n The device is available for pre-order<\/a> now and will ship later this month. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission<\/a>. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n