Gemini is coming to Google Home, and during yesterday's Made by Google event,we saw our first glimpse of an unreleased Google Nest speaker- a roughly spherical device with a colored light at the base, seen sitting on a table beside F1 driver Lando Norris.
It's about time too, given it's been four years since Google's last home hub, the 2nd-gen Nest Hub, launched in 2021. The question is, after such a long and rocky road, will anyone want it?
First of all, I find it interesting that Google has given us a glimpse of a speaker, not a smart display. It suggests that Google is taking a different approach to Amazon (which released two new Echo Show hubs last year, and those are now the primary interface for its new subscription-tier)Alexa+service), and Apple (which is rumored to be announcinga new Apple Intelligence-powered displayin September).
The Gemini presentation certainly didn't tease a newPixel Tablet- Google's semi-portable smart home hub, which you can detach from its base and carry from room to room - though perhaps it's keeping that up its sleeve for later this year.
Despite its lack of a screen, the new Nest will need a serious silicon upgrade to keep pace with its rivals. The Echo Show 15 and 21 both feature Amazon's new AZ2 processor, which the company claims will allow them to run an LLM locally with no latency, so the Nest will need a complete internal overhaul to compete, with a brand new chipset and more RAM.
That will mean a big price increase from previous Nest speakers - but will people be willing to pay? Google is currently facing an outcry from users who report that their existing Nest devices are displaying error messages, or no longer recognizing commands. A US law firm has evenannounced that it has "begun investigating a possible class action"against Google because so many owners are reporting problems.
Device owners onthe Google Home subredditThey are certainly skeptical that the new speaker represents a fresh start for Google's hardware.
"Not buying another Google Home product until they fix the thousand plus dollars worth of devices that I already bought and have been getting worse and worse with each passing week," says the top-rated comment.
Seriously, I've never bought a tech product that literally got worse over time. It's insane. Why should I give Google [any more] money?
A chilly reception
That's not the only issue - users living outside North America (including me) might never be able to use the new Nest to its full potential. InIts Gemini for Home announcement, Google explained that users can "conveniently issue multiple commands at once to control your home: 'Dim the lights, and set the temp to 72 degrees.'” But I won't.
That's becauseGoogle is ending support for its older smart thermostats in October, and will not be selling any new ones in Europe - including theFourth-Generation Nest Learning Thermostatthat was launched last year in the US and Canada. According to Google, this is because "heating systems in Europe are unique and have a variety of hardware and software requirements that make it challenging to build for the diverse set of homes."
That also means we'll miss out on hot water control - a feature coming to Google Home very soon according toAndroid Authority, which secured confirmation from Google Nest and Home Chief Product Officer Anish Kattukaran.
I'm curious to learn more about the new Nest, but with Google's current usability issues, a potentially high price tag, and a lack of commitment to customers in Europe, it'll have to work hard to convince me it's a good investment.
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