While Google spent the day announcing the new Pixel 10 lineup, you may have missed an under-the-radar update coming to Google Home that could change how you use your smart home.
Starting in October, Google's AI assistant Gemini is slated to replace Google Assistant on the company's smart home devices like the Google Nest Hub.
In a blog post that went up today (August 20), Google announced that the Gemini update will be available for both free and paid versions of Google Home, in a move that seems similar to how Amazon is positioning Alexa+.
Google demoed Gemini for Google Home during CES 2025 with the best look we got at the update coming with Gemini on Google TV. At the time, Google promised that the AI model would enable more natural language conversations with your smart devices.
Speaking conversationally with Gemini should still give you the results you expect, whether it's getting live sports scores or adjusting your Nest Thermostat.
Beyond prompting, Gemini should integrate inputs from other Nest devices, like a video doorbell, to answer more complex questions and prompts about your home. You could also use Gemini to coordinate things — for example, telling your Nest device to "add the ingredients to make an authentic Italian lasagna to my shopping list."
Additionally, Gemini Live will be part of the update, which should make for even more personalized conversations. "You can also interrupt responses to refine or redirect the discussion, so you get the specific information you’re looking for quickly," Google said in the post.
When will you get to try Gemini?
Gemini in Google Home launches in early access in October. It's not clear how Gemini will roll out, but Google says it will "share more details soon." For example, we don't know how much it will cost, and what features will be locked away behind a paywall.
Currently, Nest Aware subscribers pay $10 a month and are expected to be on the early access list.
Potentially, the update could coincide with the release of new Google Home devices. The last Nest Hub launched in 2021, and the most recent Pixel tablet came out in 2023. We're still waiting on the Pixel Tablet 2.
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