- Google Assistant out, Gemini in: Google is launching Gemini for Home, a next-generation AI voice assistant that will replace Google Assistant on Nest smart speakers and displays blog.google. Built on Google’s most advanced Gemini AI models, it understands more nuanced, complex voice commands and handles tasks with better context and reasoning theverge.com. Early access begins October 2025, with both free and paid tiers available theverge.com.
- New Nest hardware (finally): Google is poised to unveil its biggest Nest hardware refresh in years. Leaked images show new Nest Cams (indoor, outdoor, and doorbell) and a Gemini-powered Nest smart speaker coming in various colors 9to5google.com. The cameras get a big upgrade to 2K HDR video (up from 1080p) with 6× digital zoom, plus familiar features like an hour of on-device backup storage for outages 9to5google.com. This would be Google’s first major smart speaker/display update since 2021 theverge.com, indicating new hardware to showcase Gemini’s capabilities is imminent this fall theverge.com.
- “Google Home Premium” subscription: Alongside the AI and hardware changes, Google is revamping its smart home subscriptions. A leaked plan suggests a new “Google Home Premium” service will replace Nest Aware, integrating Gemini’s AI features 9to5google.com 9to5google.com. The base Google Home app remains free, but paying subscribers would get perks like advanced natural language camera search, AI-generated daily video event summaries, and the ability to invoke Gemini Live for expert help on speakers 9to5google.com. A higher “Premium Advanced” tier is expected to correspond to today’s Nest Aware Plus (with 24/7 recording and longer video history) 9to5google.com. Pricing hasn’t been confirmed, but Google has hinted at free vs. paid levels blog.google – and notably just hiked the old Nest Aware to $10/month with no new features theverge.com, signaling that new value (like AI features) will be tied to the new plans.
- User and integrator impact – what might break: Google’s shift to Gemini represents a fundamental platform change that could disrupt some existing setups. For one, some older Nest devices are losing support: Google announced it will end app/control support for 1st- and 2nd-gen Nest Learning Thermostats in October 2025, meaning those 2011–2014 models will no longer connect to the Nest or Home app or work with third-party integrations support.google.com support.google.com. They’ll operate only as manual thermostats thereafter. Likewise, the transition from the legacy Assistant to a new AI might affect third-party voice apps and integrations – e.g. “Actions on Google” skills or custom routines may need updates if the old command syntax is replaced by more free-form conversations. Google is inviting developers to tap into its new Gemini-enabled Home APIs for things like AI camera analytics and conversational automations theverge.com theverge.com, but these are rolling out slowly via early access theverge.com. Integrators and smart-home tinkerers will need to adapt to Google’s new ecosystem (or risk features breaking if they stick with deprecated gear and APIs). History is instructive here: when Google shut down the original “Works with Nest” program in 2019, it forced many integrations to be rebuilt or abandoned – the hope is that this time, Google provides smoother migration paths.
- Google vs Amazon vs Apple – the new smart-home AI race: Google’s push into a “post-Assistant” era comes as its rivals are also overhauling voice assistants with AI. Amazon has already launched “Alexa+”, a generative AI upgrade to Alexa that’s free for Prime members (and $19.99/month for non-Prime users) reuters.com. Alexa+ introduced more conversational abilities and even “agentic” actions like making reservations and controlling third-party services theverge.com. By comparison, Google’s traditional Assistant had started to lag – so Gemini is its answer to Alexa’s evolution theverge.com theverge.com. Google’s strategy may differ (for example, possibly bundling premium Gemini features into a Nest subscription or Google One, versus Amazon folding Alexa+ into Prime) theverge.com, but the endgame is similar: a more powerful, AI-driven helper that feels like a real “digital butler.” Meanwhile, Apple’s Siri is notably behind in this arena – Siri has gotten some on-device AI tweaks but nothing on the scale of Alexa+ or Gemini. (Reuters notes Apple has begun adding an “Apple Intelligence” AI suite to Siri, but the company has no full-on LLM-powered Siri yet reuters.com.) The smart home industry is now in a race to see whose AI assistant can become the most capable and reliable – and Google clearly doesn’t want to cede that future to Amazon.
A New AI Voice Assistant for the Home: Gemini for Home
Nearly a decade after introducing Google Assistant as a handy voice helper, Google is now giving its smart home ecosystem a radical upgrade. Gemini for Home is an all-new AI voice assistant that will “eventually replace Google Assistant” on all Nest-brand smart speakers and smart displays theverge.com. Announced in August 2025 by Google’s Nest team, Gemini for Home is built on the company’s latest large language model (LLM) technology (the same family of AI models behind Google’s Gemini chatbot). This means it can understand and respond to far more complex commands and questions than the old Assistant. As Google’s smart home chief Anish Kattukaran explains, Gemini leverages “advanced reasoning, inference and search capabilities”, allowing it to handle nuanced or multi-part requests that would have stumped the old Assistant blog.google. “You still say ‘Hey Google’ to get started, but your interactions will feel fundamentally new,” Kattukaran promises blog.google. Instead of rigid, scripted commands, you can speak naturally to Gemini and expect it to grasp your intent and context.
What kinds of things does this enable? For one, more powerful smart home controls. You could say, “Turn off the lights everywhere except my bedroom,” and Gemini will understand the exception and execute it in one go theverge.com. Or you might tell it, “Dim the living room lights and set the thermostat to 72 degrees,” combining two actions in a single sentence – something older voice assistants often struggled with. Gemini can even parse fairly abstract media requests, like “Play that song from this year’s summer blockbuster about race cars,” intelligently figuring out what you likely mean theverge.com. In short, it’s a more context-aware assistant that won’t require you to remember robotic phrasing. “We’re replacing rigid commands so you can use more nuanced or complex requests,” Google says, highlighting that this is a complete change from its predecessor theverge.com blog.google.
Another headline feature is Gemini Live, a mode for back-and-forth conversational help. By saying, “Hey Google, let’s chat,” you can enter a continuous conversation without needing to repeat the wake phrase each time blog.google. In Gemini Live mode, Google’s AI can provide what feels like “expert” assistance or coaching on extended tasks. For example, in the kitchen you could say, “I have spinach, eggs, cream cheese, and smoked salmon – what can I make for dinner?” and get recipe suggestions with step-by-step guidance blog.google. You can ask follow-ups like, “How do I know if the pan is hot enough?” as you cook, and Gemini will keep context and answer accordingly blog.google. Similarly, Gemini Live can help troubleshoot home problems (“My dishwasher isn’t draining – what can I check?”) or even act as a creative companion (“Let’s brainstorm a bedtime story about a scientist princess who loves corn”) blog.google. These kinds of dynamic, multi-turn interactions were beyond the scope of classic Google Assistant, but are exactly what modern AI excels at. It’s essentially bringing the power of ChatGPT-style conversational intelligence into your living room.
Google is positioning this as the next era of its smart home platform – what one might call the “post-Assistant era.” In fact, tech observers note that this is “the much-needed reinvention of the voice assistant” that industry insiders have anticipated theverge.com. Amazon beat Google to the punch by rolling out similar AI capabilities in Alexa a year or two earlier (more on that competition below), but Google’s implementation via Gemini could leapfrog Alexa in some ways. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, a veteran smart-home analyst, writes that “Gemini for Home could be one of the most significant changes for Google Home since the launch of its first smart display over six years ago” theverge.com. It’s a big deal: an upgrade of this magnitude hasn’t happened in Google’s home products in a long time.
Rollout and languages: Google says the Gemini for Home upgrade will start rolling out in October 2025 through an early access program theverge.com. Not everyone will get it at once – they are likely to use the Google Home Public Preview program to test and gradually deploy these features theverge.com. This cautious approach makes sense; letting a powerful AI control physical devices (locks, thermostats, etc.) requires careful testing to avoid mishaps theverge.com. Initially, Gemini for Home will be available only in U.S. English and to selected users home.google.com, which means global users and other language speakers might have to wait longer or continue using the legacy Google Assistant for a while. (Google will presumably keep the old Assistant running in parallel on devices until Gemini supports other languages in the future.) The company also hasn’t yet detailed how exactly existing Google Assistant features carry over. Simple things like timers, alarms, smart device controls, etc., will surely remain, just handled by the new AI. But what about third-party “Assistant Actions” (voice apps), custom routines, or Google Assistant’s integrations with services? Google hasn’t explicitly said if those old actions will all work under Gemini or if some will be deprecated. Users might see some of their lesser-used Assistant features temporarily missing or changed during the transition – we’ll have to watch for Google’s guidance on that as the switchover approaches.
On the user experience side, Google promises continuity in some aspects: you’ll still trigger the assistant with “Hey Google,” and it will still recognize individual user voices for personalization (we assume) as Assistant did theverge.com theverge.com. But once invoked, “interactions will feel fundamentally new”, and the AI’s responses will be more conversational and detailed, rather than the terse factual answers Google Assistant often gave theverge.com. To sum up, Google is essentially transplanting a powerful AI brain into the body of its home devices – making them smarter conversationalists and more adept helpers. This sets the stage for the next sections: new hardware to support this smarter assistant, and new services to monetize it.
Nest’s Biggest Hardware Refresh in Years (2K Cameras, New Speaker, and More)
Google’s smart home hardware lineup has been relatively stagnant for a few years – the last major releases were back in 2021 (e.g. the 2nd-gen Nest Hub display, and the battery Nest Cam and Doorbell in that year). Since then, Google’s competitors (like Arlo, Eufy, Ring, etc.) have steadily improved their cameras and devices, while Google’s offerings grew a bit long in the tooth. That’s about to change. Leaked details point to a comprehensive Nest hardware refresh in late 2025, likely timed with the Gemini assistant rollout.
According to reports from Android Headlines and 9to5Google, Google is preparing at least four new devices: a Nest Cam Indoor (3rd gen), Nest Cam Outdoor (2nd gen wired), a Nest Doorbell (2nd gen wired), and a new Google Home smart speaker (nicknamed the “Gemini speaker”) 9to5google.com 9to5google.com. Notably missing in the leaks is any new battery-powered cam or doorbell – the refresh focuses on wired models for now 9to5google.com. All the new gadgets share a similar design language to the current lineup, even using virtually identical external designs in some cases 9to5google.com, but they come in fresh color options (e.g. a dark green “Hazel” and a reddish “Berry” for the indoor cam, and “Linen” beige for the doorbell) 9to5google.com. Under the hood, however, major upgrades are expected.
The headline improvement is in camera quality: Google is reportedly jumping from 1080p to 2K HDR video on the new Nest Cams 9to5google.com. This would put Google on par or ahead of many rivals in terms of resolution (2K is roughly 1440p, which offers noticeably more detail than 1080p). The cameras will also support a 6× digital zoom feature for focusing in on parts of the frame 9to5google.com – likely leveraging that higher resolution to zoom with less blur. This is a welcome bump, as Google’s lack of resolution bump since 2017’s Nest Cam IQ was seen as a weakness by some. Other camera features remain similar to before: for instance, the new models will still have on-device storage for up to 1 hour of footage during internet outages, ensuring short outages don’t make you lose video evidence 9to5google.com. And Google will continue to offer a few hours of event video history free (just as the 2021 cameras gave ~3 hours of clip previews to non-subscribers) 9to5google.com. So essentially, better image quality and zoom are the selling points – along with, presumably, Gemini AI integration. Google’s new cameras are expected to use on-device AI and cloud AI (Gemini) to do smarter detection: not just “person” alerts, but perhaps identifying specific activities or answering queries like “show me when the dog was in the living room today” using natural language 9to5google.com. In fact, Google has been testing Gemini-powered camera analytics already, allowing users to search their footage with phrases (e.g. “person with a backpack”) 9to5google.com, and the new hardware + Home Premium subscription will lean into that (more on the subscription in the next section).
Next up, the new smart speaker. Google hasn’t released a new standalone speaker since the Nest Audio in 2020 and hasn’t updated its displays (Nest Hub line) since 2021 theverge.com. The leaks indicate a Google Home speaker (2025) that was even briefly teased by Google at a Pixel event 9to5google.com. This speaker – unofficially dubbed the Gemini speaker – will reportedly come in at least four colors (classic white and black, plus green and bright red variants) 9to5google.com. It’s said to feature 360-degree audio output, which suggests a design akin to Apple’s HomePod or Amazon’s Echo Studio (both of which disperse sound in all directions). If true, it might mean Google is aiming for higher fidelity audio to make the device attractive for music, not just voice responses. Internally, it will of course be tuned to run the new Gemini assistant, possibly with more processing power or memory to handle the advanced AI features (though much of Gemini’s processing happens in the cloud). The overall form factor isn’t described in detail in leaks, but one can envision something cylindrical or spherical (360° sound typically implies a cylindrical design with speakers all around). Google showed it in multiple colors, which is a fun twist – perhaps to add a bit of style to your home decor, since smart speakers have become aesthetic objects too.
Beyond cams and speakers, Google’s smart home event (expected in the fall, possibly October 1 per TechRadar techradar.com) could also bring a new Nest Hub or tablet or other surprises. There were rumors of a 2nd-gen Nest Hub Max or a follow-up to the Pixel Tablet that doubles as a home display. However, as of now the strongest evidence is for the cameras and speaker. Google itself inadvertently leaked product info in retail stores ahead of launch – suggesting the release is very close techradar.com techradar.com. For example, at least one store listing for a new Nest Doorbell appeared early, mentioning “with Google Gemini” as a feature techradar.com. So Google is clearly branding Gemini integration as a selling point for the hardware.
This hardware refresh is significant not just for the new specs, but for what it symbolizes: Google re-committing to the smart home after a lull. Nest’s lineup had fallen behind the competition in some areas, and enthusiasts worried Google’s attention had wandered. Now, between Gemini and these new devices, it looks like Google is mounting a comeback in smart home hardware phandroid.com perplexity.ai. As one tech outlet put it, this could “revive the seemingly dormant lineup” of Google Nest gadgets phandroid.com perplexity.ai. The new devices are poised to demonstrate the capabilities of the Gemini assistant (for instance, a new camera might showcase how Gemini can answer, in natural language, questions about your camera feed). And a new speaker will be the physical host for Gemini’s voice – possibly with better mics or sound to improve the experience. If you’re a Google smart home user, 2025 is shaping up to be the most exciting year in a long time in terms of shiny new toys to play with.
Google Home Premium: A New Subscription Era (Goodbye Nest Aware)
The influx of AI functionality and new hardware also comes with a business model shift. Google’s smart home services are moving toward a new subscription scheme called “Google Home Premium,” which is set to replace the current Nest Aware plans 9to5google.com 9to5google.com. This is a significant change, as Nest Aware has been the backbone of Google’s monetization for Nest cameras for years – it’s what users pay for to get longer video history, smarter alerts, and so on. Now Google appears to be folding AI features and voice assistant perks into the subscription, not just camera storage.
According to 9to5Google and other insiders, Google Home Premium will come in two tiers, analogous to the old Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus:
- Google Home Premium (standard) – likely replacing the $6/month (recently $8) Nest Aware plan.
- Google Home Premium Advanced – replacing the $12/month (recently $15) Nest Aware Plus plan 9to5google.com.
These new plans will cover all the traditional features (extended video recording history for all your cameras, 24/7 continuous recording on wired cams for the Advanced tier, etc.), but also bundle in Gemini’s advanced AI capabilities. Google explicitly teased that Gemini for Home will have free vs paid versions blog.google, and the leaks confirm some differences. For example, paying subscribers will be able to ask Gemini to pull up specific camera events using natural language, instead of scrubbing through footage themselves. They’ll also get “Daily Summaries” for their cameras – an AI-generated recap each day of the key events captured 9to5google.com. This could mean, at the end of the day, Gemini might say (or the app might show), “Today from your front door camera: the mailman arrived at 3:10pm, your kids came home at 4:15pm, and a stray cat was on the porch at 11pm,” complete with clips – a very handy overview that previously you’d only get by scrolling through timeline bars. These are the kinds of AI-driven conveniences Google is now keen to charge for.
Another Gemini perk for subscribers will likely be Gemini Live on speakers/displays. While base features of Gemini (like improved commands) will be free, the more chatty “let’s chat” mode that provides in-depth assistance may require a subscription. The early info suggests the paid tier unlocks the full power of Gemini Live on home devices 9to5google.com. In other words, asking Gemini to brainstorm travel plans or troubleshoot an appliance might be something only Premium users can do on a speaker. This mirrors how Amazon has approached Alexa’s AI upgrades – making them a value-add for paying customers (in Amazon’s case, Prime members get it “free” as part of their plan).
It’s worth noting that Google’s smart home platform was mostly free until now, aside from camera storage. The Google Home app itself and Assistant’s features never had a fee. So this introduction of a “Premium” tier for the voice assistant marks a new strategy. Essentially, Google is saying: the basic assistant and smart home controls will remain free, but if you want the really fancy AI features, you’ll need to subscribe (or be a Google One member, etc., depending on bundling). This might include future additions we haven’t imagined yet, like AI that can proactively manage your home settings or integrate external data (for example, “Hey Google, watch my security camera feed and call me if something odd happens” – just speculation, but exactly the kind of thing an AI could enable).
How do current Nest Aware subscribers transition? Google hasn’t detailed that publicly yet. It’s likely that existing subscribers will be grandfathered into Google Home Premium at the same price for some time, or prompted to switch plans. The naming implies Google wants to unify everything under the “Home” brand (away from “Nest” which they’ve been slowly demoting). There’s also talk that Nest Aware’s recent price hike (Nest Aware went from ~$6 to $8, Nest Aware Plus from $12 to $15 monthly, or $120 to $150/year for Plus) reddit.com theverge.com was laying the groundwork – potentially matching what Home Premium will cost, or simply capitalizing on current features until Gemini features arrive.
For users, this change has pros and cons. On the plus side, the new plans promise more value: not just storing video, but actually helping you make sense of it (via AI summaries, etc.), plus enhancing your voice assistant’s abilities. On the downside, if you’re not interested in those AI extras, you might feel you’re being forced into a pricier plan just to keep basic functionality. It’s too early to say how Google will price Home Premium; one rumor from Android Police suggested Google might price-match Amazon, noting that Amazon’s Alexa+ for non-Prime users is $19.99/month (and coincidentally a leaked “Gemini Advanced” plan was also ~$20) androidpolice.com. That sounds high, and likely refers to the top tier. More plausibly, Google could stick close to current Nest Aware pricing ($10 or $15/mo) but market the new features as a justification for that cost.
Importantly, the base experience will remain free. You’ll still be able to use Google Home devices with Gemini at no charge – just like today you can use Nest cams without a subscription (with limited history) and Assistant without subscription. Google’s own blog post emphasized there will be “free and paid versions” of Gemini for Home blog.google. So, casual users can enjoy a smarter Assistant without opening their wallets. But power users, smart home enthusiasts, and those deeply invested in Nest hardware will likely find the Premium tier tempting or even necessary to get the most out of their devices. For example, if you have a bunch of Nest Cams, you’ll want the subscription to see more than a few events and to leverage the new AI searches. If you use your Nest Hub for lots of tasks, you might want Gemini Live’s full capabilities accessible.
From a business perspective, Google is aligning with a broader industry trend: smart home services are moving to subscription models for sustainability. The days of selling a device once and supporting cloud features “for free” indefinitely are ending. Ring, Arlo, Amazon, and others all have subscription plans for advanced features. Google sees AI as an opportunity to upsell – by providing truly useful AI-driven features that justify a monthly fee. The success of this will depend on how good those features are in practice. If Gemini’s assistance is genuinely transformational (saving users time, solving problems easily), many will pay. If it’s gimmicky or unreliable, Google could face backlash, especially coming off a price hike.
To wrap up: Google Home Premium represents the monetization of Google’s AI assistant era. It bundles home security, automation, and AI help under one bill. It retires the Nest Aware name (signaling the full integration of Nest into Google Home branding). And it positions Google to compete not just on devices and AI, but on service revenue, much like Amazon does with Prime/Alexa and Apple does with its services. Current Nest Aware subscribers should watch for an announcement, likely at Google’s hardware event, detailing how and when the switch will happen.
Impact on Users and Integrators: Upgrades, Breakages, and Transitions
Whenever a major platform change like this happens, there’s excitement about new features and anxiety about what might break or be left behind. Let’s break down what the Gemini + Nest refresh means for different stakeholders:
For everyday users: Most will experience this as a software update that suddenly makes their Google Home devices much smarter (at least those in the early rollout). If you have a Nest Hub or Nest Mini, one day you might get a prompt inviting you to try the new Gemini assistant. Ideally, your existing voice commands will still work – e.g. you can still say “Hey Google, turn on the kitchen lights” and it should do so as before. But you’ll also be able to speak more naturally and ask new things. There may be a learning curve as users discover what Gemini can do that Assistant couldn’t. Google will likely provide examples and suggestions via the Home app or emails, showing off things like asking follow-up questions or issuing multiple commands at once.
One thing users might notice initially is some features launching in preview/beta or only in English. If you were using Google Assistant in a non-English language, you might not get Gemini right away – Google may keep those users on the old Assistant until multilingual support is ready. That could feel like a downgrade in the interim. Additionally, certain Assistant features (like some quirky easter eggs, games, or lesser-used services) might not carry over immediately. Google has a history of deprecating features that aren’t widely used whenever they do a revamp. For example, if you loved playing trivia games on your Nest Hub that were built on the old Assistant platform, there’s a chance those won’t function under the new system unless the developer updates them. Google has not explicitly mentioned killing off third-party “Actions on Google,” but given the shift to a more open-ended AI, the concept of scripted third-party voice apps could become obsolete. Instead of saying “Hey Google, ask <app> for a meditation session,” perhaps you’ll just say “Hey Google, help me meditate for 10 minutes” and Gemini itself will handle it (or integrate with a service behind the scenes). We’ll have to see how Google handles third-party integrations – they might integrate some into Gemini’s brain, or encourage partners to use the new Home APIs to plug into routines.
Breaking changes and legacy device support: The most concrete “break” we know of is the one affecting owners of older Nest Learning Thermostats. Google confirmed that as of October 25, 2025, the 1st-gen (2011) and 2nd-gen (2012–2014) Nest thermostats will lose all cloud support support.google.com. They will be removed from the Nest app and Google Home app and can no longer be controlled via phone or voice support.google.com. Essentially, they become offline thermostats – you can only adjust them by turning the dial on the unit, like in the old days. This also disconnects them from any integrations: if you had them linked to Alexa or to a home automation hub (Hubitat, SmartThings, etc.), those links will stop working too community.hubitat.com community.hubitat.com. Google is doing this ostensibly because those devices are very old (over a decade) and probably can’t support newer protocols or security standards. They’re offering discounts on newer models for affected users as consolation community.hubitat.com community.hubitat.com. However, it does raise a trust issue: users who invested in Nest hardware are seeing products forcibly “sunset.” One frustrated smart home hobbyist noted this is a classic case of planned obsolescence, warning that cloud-dependent gadgets always carry the risk of being shut off by the company community.hubitat.com. Indeed, some integrators and users are responding by seeking more local solutions – for instance, replacing Nest thermostats with locally-controlled Zigbee/Z-Wave thermostats or ones that support the new Matter standard which allows local control without cloud dependence community.hubitat.com community.hubitat.com. It’s telling that Google’s newer Nest Thermostat models support Matter (the Gen 4 thermostat released in 2020, and the 2023 Nest Thermostat E refresh, got Matter support), which means in theory they can be controlled locally by third-party hubs going forward community.hubitat.com. So Google may be intentionally pruning the old non-Matter devices as it moves into a future where Matter and its own AI cloud are the pillars of the smart home.
Another potential break could be in the apps and routines department. Google has been migrating functionality from the old Nest app to the Google Home app for years, sometimes contentiously. With the introduction of Google Home Premium and new cameras, it’s expected that the remaining Nest app features (like configuring camera settings, viewing doorbell history, etc.) will finally consolidate into Google Home app entirely. Users who stubbornly stick to the old Nest app might find it no longer does much. Integrations that relied on the Nest app’s access (like some older home automation setups) should have moved to the new Google Home API by now, but if not, they may break as Nest accounts and app fade out. (Google forced most Nest account users to migrate to Google Accounts back in 2019–2020 nest.com, so that part is mostly done.)
For third-party developers and smart home integrators: Google’s shift to Gemini is both an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity is that Google is exposing some of these AI capabilities through the Google Home API for developers. In May 2025, Google announced it will allow third-party smart home apps to use Gemini’s AI for camera analytics and for creating automations from natural language descriptions theverge.com theverge.com. For instance, a security app could use Google’s AI to identify what’s seen in a Nest Cam clip, or a home automation app like Home Assistant might let users type “turn on lights at sunset” and use Google’s natural language processing to set that up. This is powerful stuff, essentially giving others a slice of Google’s AI brain. However, it’s currently limited to some early-access partners theverge.com. Over time, if Google fully opens this up, it could make integrations richer – developers won’t need to reinvent AI vision or NLP, they can call Google’s.
The challenge, conversely, is that integrators must adapt to Google’s new rules and deprecations. We saw an example with the Nest thermostat API being shut down for old models community.hubitat.com. Integrators who built solutions around that must now find alternatives (like using Matter or telling clients to upgrade devices). Historically, when Google killed “Works with Nest,” many in the smart home community were dismayed because their carefully crafted multi-platform routines (connecting Nest devices with other systems) broke. Google replaced it with the Smart Device Management API for Google Home, which has slowly improved. With Gemini, Google might impose new limitations or processes – for example, to use voice commands from third-party systems, or to trigger routines externally, integrators might have to go through Google’s cloud (for safety and complexity reasons).
Professional installers (the folks who set up custom smart homes for clients) will also keep a close eye. They need to know if devices they installed last year will still work next year. The news that Google hadn’t updated speakers since 2021 made some wonder if Google was quietly exiting that hardware space; now that they’re back in full force, pros will consider if the new lineup is worth recommending. Some pros had shifted to more platform-agnostic approaches (Z-Wave, Control4, Home Assistant) after losing confidence in Google’s consistency. If Gemini proves reliable and Google provides long-term support assurances, it could win back favor. But incidents like the thermostat drop or last year’s Nest Secure alarm system discontinuation remain cautionary tales.
Possible glitches and user feedback: As with any AI, there might be early quirks. Amazon’s Alexa AI, for example, sometimes gave incorrect answers or was slow, requiring repeated attempts – as witnessed in a live demo by Amazon’s team reuters.com. Google’s Gemini might also have some bumps initially: maybe it misinterprets a complex command, or its conversation goes off-track. Early adopters will likely post experiences online. In fact, some users in Public Preview have already reported mixed results, with Gemini occasionally not understanding certain accents or contexts perfectly reddit.com. Google will be in a trial-and-error period to refine the assistant. The key for users and integrators is to provide feedback (Google’s Preview program encourages that) so the AI improves.
In summary, regular users should mostly expect better functionality with few trade-offs, aside from possibly paying for some new features and saying goodbye to very old products. Power users and integrators will need to double-check that their routines and integrations survive the transition – and take note of any “end of support” announcements (like that of the Nest Thermostat) to plan device upgrades. The smart home is evolving, and as one Hubitat forum user wryly noted, “If you buy a device that needs the internet, be prepared for this [shutdown] or a monthly fee – you own nothing and [the companies] own you” community.hubitat.com. It’s a cynical take, but it captures the current climate: cloud-connected products bring amazing convenience, but they also put us at the mercy of providers like Google who can change the rules. With Gemini, Google is changing the rules – hopefully for the better in terms of capability, but certainly in terms of how the ecosystem works and who pays for what.
The New Voice Assistant Showdown: Google vs. Amazon vs. Apple
Finally, it’s important to view Google’s Gemini-powered smart home in the context of the broader industry. We are witnessing a major leap in voice assistant technology across the board, a shift that some have dubbed the transition to “Voice Assistants 2.0” or the like. Where does Google stand versus its rivals?
Amazon Alexa (Alexa+): Amazon is arguably the one who pushed Google into this change. In September 2023, Amazon announced it was working on a more conversational Alexa, and by early 2025 it formally launched Alexa+, the next-gen AI version of Alexa reuters.com reuters.com. Alexa+ represents Alexa infused with a custom large language model (Amazon’s own or possibly using partner models like Anthropic’s Claude, per some reports). It can remember personal details, handle multi-turn conversations, and even perform tasks proactively. Crucially, Amazon decided to monetize Alexa+: it’s free for Amazon Prime members and $19.99/month for anyone else reuters.com. This pricing strategy leverages Amazon’s huge Prime user base (over 200 million globally) – if you’re already paying for Prime shipping and video, you automatically get the best Alexa experience. This might lock people further into Amazon’s ecosystem.
Alexa+ has been rolled out to millions of Echo devices in households as a software update theverge.com. Some capabilities Amazon touted include: making complex reservations for you (they demonstrated Alexa+ using an “agent” to book a restaurant via services like OpenTable), offering to help with tasks by talking to other apps (ordering food, summoning a rideshare, etc.), and deeply personalized interactions (knowing your family members’ preferences by learning from conversations) reuters.com reuters.com. It’s like Alexa graduated from being a voice remote for your lights and music to being a true digital concierge.
Google, seeing this, likely did not want to fall behind. Google’s competitive advantage is that it has some of the most powerful AI models in the world (Google’s AI prowess in search and mobile is well known). Yet, as The Verge pointed out, Google was lagging in bringing those AI smarts to the home environment theverge.com. We saw hints: Google added a “Gemini” conversational option to some Pixel phones, new voices and conversational tweaks on Nest Hub, and a bit of image analytics on cameras theverge.com. But nothing as bold as Amazon’s full Alexa overhaul – until now. Gemini for Home is Google’s answer, aiming to leapfrog Alexa+. Google’s assistant, powered by the Gemini LLM, should be as smart as (or smarter than) Alexa’s model. And Google has an edge in search knowledge, meaning Gemini could be better at factual Q&A or pulling info from the web (where Alexa historically faltered or relied on Bing).
One interesting angle is monetization and ecosystem: Amazon’s strategy ties Alexa+ to Prime, effectively subsidizing it (Prime costs about $15/month in the US, but includes many services). Google doesn’t have an equivalent to Prime, but it does have Google One (cloud storage + services bundle) and the Nest Aware/Google Home subscriptions. Google could have made Gemini’s advanced features an included perk of Google One, but instead it appears to be choosing the Nest route – i.e., make people subscribe specifically for home features. There’s speculation Google might even fold Home Premium into a broader bundle one day, but nothing concrete. For now, Google is fine with you paying separately for your home AI assistant.
In terms of market penetration, Amazon currently has more smart speaker share (though exact numbers vary by region). Alexa also works with a massive range of third-party smart home devices. Google, however, has the advantage of Android integration (every Android phone has Google Assistant, and likely will get Gemini features too). Google is also a leader in some markets outside the US where Alexa is less present. The race is on to see which assistant actually delivers a superior experience that gets people using voice control more. One tech reporter noted: “With the launch of Gemini for Home, the race is now on for the most reliable and capable smart home voice assistant” theverge.com. Consumers will ultimately judge reliability – do these AI assistants actually make fewer mistakes and do more useful things? If Gemini can fulfill its promise, Google could regain any ground lost and perhaps surpass Alexa in user satisfaction.
Apple Siri: And then there’s Apple, the other original voice assistant pioneer. Siri has a reputation for being limited and somewhat stagnating (it improved over the years, but slowly). As of 2025, Apple has not announced a Siri equivalent of ChatGPT or Gemini. What Apple has done is incorporate more machine learning into devices – features like personalized autocorrect, better on-device speech recognition, and some home/shortcuts automation suggestions. There are rumors (and desires expressed by tech writers) that Apple might be working on a more generative version of Siri. For instance, TechRadar speculated with hope that “Apple could give Siri a big Gemini upgrade” (meaning a big AI upgrade, not literally Google’s Gemini, but using that term generically) techradar.com. Another report suggested Apple is researching an LLM for Siri codenamed something like “Ajax” or integrating something like OpenAI tech, but nothing public yet. In Reuters’ coverage of Alexa+, they noted Apple has “incorporated its suite of AI features, dubbed Apple Intelligence, into Siri” reuters.com – this likely refers to things like on-device processing of certain requests, or using transformers for better dictation, etc. But Siri still can’t engage in free-form conversation or do multi-step tasks across apps in the same way Alexa+ and Gemini aim to.
Thus, currently the smart home AI contest is largely between Amazon and Google. Apple remains the wildcard (they might surprise with an announcement in late 2025 or 2026, but for now users don’t have an AI Siri to deploy on HomePods). It’s worth noting that Apple is part of the Matter initiative and focuses on privacy – one reason Siri might lag is Apple’s reluctance to send too much data to cloud AIs. Google and Amazon, by contrast, are embracing cloud AI for its capabilities, even as they try to reassure users about privacy and security (e.g., both companies say they’re implementing guardrails to prevent the AI from doing anything unsafe with your smart home).
From a consumer perspective, this competition should drive improvements. If Alexa+ sets a high bar, Google will push Gemini to match or exceed it, and vice versa. For example, Alexa introduced an “Emergency Assist” subscription that can call emergency services if certain keywords are heard or events detected – Google might consider similar AI-driven safety features for its subscribers. Amazon is integrating shopping into Alexa’s AI (naturally, since it’s Amazon); Google might leverage its shopping and services ecosystem via Gemini too (imagine asking Gemini to order groceries or book flights – basically what Google Assistant could do with voice shortcuts, but now more conversationally). In fact, Google Assistant already had features like restaurant bookings via voice (using Duplex technology). Gemini could turbocharge those, making it even more seamless to accomplish real-world tasks through a conversation.
One area to watch is “agency” – letting the assistant take actions on your behalf beyond the device. Amazon showcased Alexa+ proactively suggesting things and even completing purchases (with permission). Google has been more cautious historically (their Duplex phone-calling AI was limited rollout). With Gemini, perhaps Google will dip its toes into allowing the assistant to do more for you automatically. That could be very powerful in home automation: e.g., Gemini noticing you leave home and automatically offering to arm your security system and turn off lights, based on understanding context. That moves towards the long-promised “smart home that anticipates your needs.”
To conclude this section, let’s quote Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge, who encapsulated the situation well: “If this sounds familiar, it should. These are features Alexa Plus offers… With the launch of Gemini for Home, the race is now on for the most reliable and capable smart home voice assistant — and we’re still waiting for the third competitor, Apple, to get on the track.” theverge.com. In this post-Assistant era, Google and Amazon are sprinting ahead with AI, while Apple watches from the sidelines (for now). For consumers, it means our smart home gadgets are about to get a lot smarter – but we might also be getting more entangled with subscriptions and ecosystems as a result.
Conclusion: A New Chapter for Google’s Smart Home
Google’s introduction of Gemini for Home marks a turning point for the company’s smart home strategy. In one sweeping move, Google is upgrading the brains of its devices, refreshing the devices themselves, and reimagining how it charges for services. It truly is the start of a “post-Assistant era,” where the simple voice assistant of yesterday is evolving into a much more intelligent home AI.
For users, this promises more convenience – a voice assistant that actually understands you and can help with complex tasks, and new devices that are more capable (and, frankly, long overdue). But it also means navigating changes: new subscription options, possibly needing to replace legacy products that won’t be supported, and learning to trust AI with bigger responsibilities in the home. There’s excitement about things like having an AI sous-chef in the kitchen or an AI butler managing your home routines. There’s also a need for caution, as these systems should be monitored to ensure they’re accurate and secure (nobody wants an AI that accidentally unlocks the door or misinterprets a command).
For Google, much is riding on this. The company is effectively playing catch-up and leapfrog at the same time – catching up to Amazon’s move, leapfrogging by leveraging its cutting-edge AI. It’s also trying to reinvigorate the Nest brand under the Google umbrella, proving to customers and to industry partners that it’s serious about hardware (after a perception that Nest stuff had stagnated). By tying Gemini into the entire ecosystem, Google is betting that AI will be the differentiator that makes its smart home platform the one to choose. As one tagline-like phrasing could put it: Google wants your smart home to “think bigger”.
We called this piece “The Post-Assistant Era: Google’s Gemini Comes Home”, and that really captures the narrative: The original Google Assistant – the predictable, scripted Q&A and command system – is effectively becoming legacy. In its place comes something more ambitious. Will we one day drop the “Assistant” moniker entirely and just call it “Google Gemini” or even just “Google” as our helpful home AI? It’s possible. Google has even referred to Gemini as “your household’s new, more helpful assistant”, implying a continuity in purpose if not in technology blog.google.
There are certainly pitfalls to avoid. Google must ensure a smooth transition (no one likes their smart devices acting weird after an update). It also has to earn user trust that paying for Google Home Premium is worth it – a misstep there could push users toward competitors or local solutions. And given the history of abrupt decisions (like axing Works with Nest or discontinuing products), Google should communicate clearly and support its userbase through the changes.
From a broader viewpoint, the smart home landscape in late 2025 is arguably the most interesting it’s been in a long time. The foundational pieces (smart lights, thermostats, cameras, voice speakers) are now mature and widespread. The next battle is in the intelligence layer on top of those pieces. This is where Google’s Gemini, Amazon’s Alexa+, and whatever Apple or others conjure will duel. It’s a software and AI battle more than a hardware battle. Each company’s aim is to be the hub of assistance in your life – to be the one you trust and rely on to manage your home and digital life seamlessly. Google’s play to achieve that is Gemini, coming home to Nest devices near you.
Keep your eyes (and ears) open this fall for announcements from Google’s event. Existing Google Home users should watch for app updates and invitations to try the new features. And if you have any truly old Nest gear, consider an upgrade plan (Google’s offering discounts for those thermostats, which might soften the blow community.hubitat.com). The smart home is about to get a brain boost, and as with any brain transplant, it’s equal parts thrilling and a little scary. But given the potential upsides – a more helpful home that actually feels smart – many would say this is the revolution we’ve been waiting for since voice assistants first appeared.
Sources:
- Google Keyword blog – “Gemini for Home: Your household’s new, more helpful assistant” (Aug 20, 2025) blog.google blog.google
- 9to5Google – “‘Google Home Premium’ subscription leaks as Nest Aware replacement with Gemini features” (Aug 25, 2025) 9to5google.com 9to5google.com
- 9to5Google – “Google finally refreshing Nest cameras with 2K video and more, leak shows” (Aug 25, 2025) 9to5google.com 9to5google.com
- The Verge – “Gemini for Home is Google’s biggest smart home play in years” (Aug 20, 2025) theverge.com theverge.com
- Google Nest support – “Upcoming end of support for Nest Learning Thermostats (1st and 2nd gen)” (accessed 2025) support.google.com support.google.com
- Reuters – “Amazon debuts new Alexa voice assistant with AI overhaul” (Feb 27, 2025) reuters.com reuters.com
- TechRadar – “It’s official, Gemini is coming to Google Home devices…” (Sept 4, 2025) techradar.com techradar.com and related coverage.
