Google has just launched its largest update for your home smart devices in a decade.
The California-based company has unveiled Gemini for Home, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system that fundamentally changes your smart home experience. It brings next-generation smarts to the system, with Gemini able to describe what's happening in footage from your video doorbell, answer questions about the status of your devices, and much more. On paper, it sounds like an impressive upgrade... especially since it works with a decade-old device that might not have received much in the way of new features since it launched.
However, some Google Home users have flocked to Reddit to express their wariness about this upgrade.
If you're not familiar with Gemini, it's Google’s next-generation AI model family, designed to be multimodal — able to understand and generate text, images, code, and more. It's already been implemented across several of Google's products, including the latest trio of new AI-powered Android smartphones with Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL.
From today, this update affects all of Google's smart home products.
Your existing Google Assistant will be replaced by Gemini across smart displays, speakers, cameras and doorbells, with the rollout beginning this month through early access. They'll also be included in Google's recently announced Nest Cams, Doorbell, and Home speaker.
There are several new features you can look forward to as well.
For instance, you'll no longer be restricted to basic voice commands with your smart speakers and displays. Instead, you can engage in natural, flowing conversations with your devices, which can now collaborate with you throughout your daily routines.
The redesigned Google Home app can now serve as your central hub for managing all connected devices, including the Google Nest
|GOOGLE PRESS OFFICE
The redesigned Google Home app can now serve as your central hub for managing all connected devices. You'll find the interface has been completely overhauled to provide a single location for controlling your entire smart home setup. For instance, your Nest devices will now appear within the Home app.
You'll be able to purchase new hardware specifically designed to maximise Gemini's capabilities. The latest Nest cameras and doorbells feature enhanced image quality, allowing the AI to better understand and respond to what's happening around your property.
Google has also introduced its first audio device built exclusively for Gemini – the Google Home Speaker, which won't be available in the UK until 2026. This device enables more natural and fluid conversations compared to traditional smart speakers.
To give you the most out of the latest update with Gemini, Google is actively partnering with other companies and manufacturers. These partnerships will offer various form factors and styles, ensuring you can access Gemini's features throughout your home regardless of your aesthetic preferences or budget constraints.
However, Google hasn't confirmed details about what these new styles and factors will include yet.
Google says Gemini can now better understand what's happening around your home
|GOOGLE PRESS OFFICE
Google has also introduced a new Google Home Premium subscription service, and you'll need to be a subscriber to access the most advanced features. This whole-home subscription unlocks the full Gemini for Home capabilities across all your compatible devices.
If you're already a subscriber to Google AI Pro or Ultra plans, which are existing paid subscription plans that already give you enhanced Google AI features, then you'll receive Google Home Premium at no additional cost. This integration means you can immediately benefit from the enhanced AI features without paying extra subscription fees.
Google AI Pro offers enhanced access across Google’s AI tools. You get access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, expanded limits in features like Flow and Whisk, NotebookLM, and 2TB of cloud storage for £18.99 per month.
On the other hand, a subscription to Google AI Ultra unlocks Google’s most advanced AI features — the highest usage limits, early access to Deep Think modes in Gemini to provide more complex AI answers, best access to Veo 3 (video generation), Flow, Whisk, and a huge 30TB of storage, plus extras like YouTube Premium for £234.99 per month.
Despite all of these new and upcoming features, several users have taken to Reddit to express their dislike of Gemini's new update.
One user wrote, "I hate that my speakers have just become casting devices at this point and my Nest Hub is just a fancy picture frame because of how useless Gemini is. Bunch of wasted money."
Comment
byu/MishaalRahman from discussion
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"I'm so tired of supbar AI. AI is the new buzzword but we've had it for a while. Google Now was AI. Google Assistant was much better than Gemini for actual assistant tasks," wrote another.
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byu/MishaalRahman from discussion
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Some users also haven't been as happy with Gemini on their other existing devices, such as the Pixel smartphones. "I'd love it if Gemini could actually be as fast as Assistant. Too often I've found myself trying to set a timer on my phone by going 'Hey Google, ten minute timer.' This worked perfectly well with Assistant, but with Gemini I now have to pause for a second or so, even once the input box has appeared I find it still needs a moment before it's actually listening. It's very annoying."
Comment
byu/MishaalRahman from discussion
inAndroid
One user was having trouble accessing the new update. "Can Gemini even control Google Home stuff? It was extremely intermittent last time I tried, so I reverted back to Google Assistant on my phone because you can't have both, and I need to be able to turn my lights on."
Comment
byu/MishaalRahman from discussion
inAndroid
"I hope Gemini on all my devices means saying "hey Google" can finally not turn on my phone when my smart speaker is there. You know, how it used to work with Google Assistant," wrote another user.
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byu/MishaalRahman from discussion
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