Google's smart speaker gets a Gemini brain — first in 6 years
Google's smart speakers ran the same command-parser Assistant for six years. Complex requests meant repeating yourself or breaking them into simple one-step commands.
Google Home Speaker 2026 ($99, June 25) — Google's first smart speaker in six years, running Gemini LLM instead of old command-parser Assistant.
At $99 this is an easy upgrade for Google Home users. With Gemini onboard, it finally matches Alexa+ in conversational chops — though HomePod owners aren't affected.