"Google has spent much of this year porting its Gemini chatbot to other platforms outside of Android. It arrived on Wear OS smartwatches this summer, it's coming to Android Auto this fall, but now it's Google Home's turn. Say goodbye to Google Assistant, which has powered many of Google's smart home products since its 2016 debut. The command word remains, "Hey Google," but now it'll activate Gemini. Nearly 10 years ago, Google Assistant was the company's answer to Amazon's Alexa. It kickstarted a voice assistant war, but after a period of stagnation, these chatbots have been revived with the advent of large language models."
"You can talk to them more conversationally without being restricted by rigid commands, which marks a step-change in how we interact with voice assistants in the home. Creating a routine-a task the average person might find a tad too complicated-is now as simple as asking Gemini to "Turn on the lights and close the shades, and turn on the sound machine every night at 9 pm.""
"Along with Gemini's infusion, the Google Home app is getting a redesign to make use of its new capabilities, and there are new devices as well: a Google Home Speaker ($100), Nest Cam Indoor 2K ($100), Nest Cam Outdoor 2K ($150), and Nest Doorbell 2K ($180). Walmart is also partnering with Google to offer an uber-cheap indoor camera and doorbell with its Onn brand, both of which can be added directly via the Google Home app."
Gemini replaces Google Assistant as the smart-home conversational engine while retaining the "Hey Google" wake phrase. The move brings large-language-model capabilities to home devices, enabling more natural, flexible voice interactions and simplified routine creation. The Google Home app receives a redesign to surface Gemini's new features and streamline device setup. New hardware launches include a Google Home Speaker, Nest Cam Indoor 2K, Nest Cam Outdoor 2K, and Nest Doorbell 2K, with a Walmart Onn partnership offering budget indoor camera and doorbell options. Most products are available now, with the Home Speaker arriving in early 2026.
Read at WIRED
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