Overview
- Google began taking preorders on Wednesday, June 17, and says the Google Home Speaker will hit stores on June 25, though one outlet reports a June 29 shipping date.
- The speaker is built around Gemini for Home to handle natural, multi‑step voice conversations, follow‑ups without repeated wake words, and mid‑sentence corrections.
- Google is charging for top features: Gemini Live, camera history search and Home Briefs require Google Home Premium, and early buyers get six months of the service free.
- Hardware highlights include 360° sound, three far‑field mics with local noise‑isolation models, a physical mic mute switch, Thread/Matter support, and the ability to pair two units with a Google TV Streamer for spatial surround sound.
- The launch marks a portfolio shift for Google as it ends production of the Nest Mini and Nest Audio and says more than 3.5 million homes joined Gemini for Home early access, which drove thousands of fixes and feature updates.