Google may finally launch a new Home speaker after 5 years – here’s the clue

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Google teased an unknown speaker finally week’s occasion.
• Speaker could pair with Google TV Streamer, extra units due.
• No announcement but, first sensible speaker since 2020.

The 2025 Made by Google event featured some well-known stars and extremely anticipated units, however one second caught my eye greater than others. An overproduced video confirmed Formulation 1 driver Lando Norris on a comfy sofa speaking to Gemini, showcasing what the voice assistant with generative AI can do to switch Google Assistant. To his proper, a steel facet desk held a single factor: an unknown sensible speaker by way of which Norris communicated with Gemini.

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I instantly searched Google to seek out out if there have been any leaks for a brand new sensible speaker I had missed, but I could not discover something. Google completed its Pixel 10 launch occasion with out a lot as a point out of a brand new speaker. The spherical speaker’s look within the video was dealt with like a glitch or a slip of the tongue, with nobody addressing its sudden presence.

Gemini-powered Google Residence speaker

Days later, reports confirmed that Google plans to launch what sources name a Google Residence Speaker, powered by Gemini as an alternative of Assistant. The speaker will reportedly work very similar to a Nest speaker, of which Google hasn’t launched a brand new mannequin in 5 years, with some up to date options.

Within the video, the brand new speaker appears to be like like a barely flattened Echo Dot, with a band alongside the bottom that lit up blue when Norris interacted with Gemini. Like an Echo speaker, it seems to be lined in cloth, and sources say will probably be out there in 4 colours: white, shiny pink, mild inexperienced, and black.

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The Residence Speaker will reportedly assist Matter and may be paired with a Google TV Streamer to behave as an exterior audio output. In the identical manner, you possibly can pair a HomePod or HomePod mini with the Apple TV 4K, and pair two of those audio system for richer stereo sound.

Just like the Apple and Amazon sensible audio system, the brand new Google speaker is claimed to function sound detection for smoke alarms and glass breaking, so it will probably notify you if it hears these sounds. Echo audio system solely do that should you pay for Alexa Emergency Help or a Ring subscription, however the HomePod contains it with the speaker. It is unclear whether or not this sort of sound detection on the brand new Google speaker would require a subscription.

Gemini for Residence rolling out this fall

Google additionally announced Gemini for Home, formally changing Google Assistant in Google Residence. This replace is predicted to roll out in an early entry section in October, so the sensible speaker may very well be introduced round that point, except Google decides to attend till the spring. In its press launch, Google indicated that Gemini for Residence may have a free and a paid tier, although it did not specify what every would come with.

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In line with the identical supply, different new sensible residence units are coming quickly. Google is reportedly planning a brand new Nest Indoor Cam, Nest Outside Cam, and Nest Doorbell. Every will function Each day Summaries, which use Gemini to recap the day’s occasions within the Google Residence app. The cameras will assist 2K decision and shall be out there in a number of colours.

Google has been sluggish to launch new sensible residence units lately, primarily as a result of lots of its merchandise are future-proof and nonetheless work properly years later. This prompted rumors that Google could have been casting off the Nest model altogether, although these leaks appear to dispel these. If the sensible speaker is launched this 12 months, it would be the primary one to come back out for the reason that Nest Audio in late 2020.