Google’s $99 Gemini Home Speaker is coming—but not anytime soon

Google announces Gemini-powered Home Speaker, but it won’t arrive until Spring 2026

Google is revamping its smart speaker lineup with the announcement of the Google Home Speaker, a new device powered by its Gemini AI platform. Unveiled alongside the broader rollout of Gemini for Home, this speaker represents a shift away from the Nest branding and introduces 360-degree audio in a new, minimalist design. But there’s a catch: the hardware won’t ship until Spring 2026.

The speaker is designed to deliver “room-filling sound” from a central location with its new 360-degree design, diverging from the directional output of the older Nest Audio. A light ring at the base adds visual feedback to voice interactions, and a physical mute switch gives users direct control over microphone access. It also supports stereo pairing and can be grouped with other Nest speakers for multi-room playback.

One of the headline features is support for Gemini and Gemini Live, enabling more natural, conversational voice interactions. According to Google, the speaker includes custom silicon designed to handle the demands of Gemini’s AI processing. However, Google says Gemini will be available on many existing speakers and displays as part of a broader rollout, making new hardware optional for early adopters.

The Google Home Speaker will sell for $99 and be available in four colors: Porcelain, Hazel, Jade, and Berry. The delayed launch reflects Google’s decision to prioritize updating its existing user base with Gemini support before launching new devices. For now, users looking to try Gemini on a speaker will need to rely on current-generation hardware.

We look forward to getting the new Google Home Speaker into our labs for testing once it finally arrives.