Google officially launches the new $99 Google Home Speaker with Gemini built-in

After months of waiting and a tease from the Chief Product Officer just last week, the new Google Home Speaker is officially here and available for pre-order now. Priced at $99.99 and hitting shelves on June 25, this device is built from the ground up to be the first audio hub powered entirely by the new Gemini for Home voice assistant.

If you remember, this device was actually unveiled back in October 2025, so yes, it did take a while to become officially available, but Google used that nine-month gap effectively. According to Anish Kattukaran, Chief Product Officer for Google Home and Nest, the company heavily refined the Gemini software before this launch, cutting command latency by up to 40 percent and fixing over 2,500 reported bugs.

The result will hopefully be a massive shift in how we interact with digital assistants. Instead of forcing users to memorize rigid command phrases, Gemini adapts to how you speak. You can use logic in your requests, fire off multiple commands in a single breath, or even correct yourself mid-sentence without missing a beat.

To make these conversational interactions seamless, the new Google Home Speaker runs local models specifically for noise cancellation, echo suppression, and sound separation. This ensures the hardware can quickly process commands and hear you clearly over a noisy room. For smart home enthusiasts, the speaker also serves as a Matter controller and a Thread 1.3 border router, ensuring rock-solid, local connectivity for your surrounding smart devices.

Physically, the speaker features a slightly squished round design wrapped in a custom 3D-knit textile, topped with capacitive touch buttons and a new light ring underglow. Google is positioning this primarily as a big audio upgrade over the Nest Mini rather than a direct sound-quality replacement for the taller Nest Audio. The smaller footprint makes it much easier to place around the house, and it still delivers balanced 360-degree sound. You can even pair two together for stereo audio or connect them directly to the new Google TV Streamer for a spatial surround sound home theater setup.

If you’ve been testing Gemini for Home through the early access program on an older device like a Nest Audio, your hardware isn’t being left behind. It looks like Gemini for Home will continue to function on legacy Nest speakers, but it’s important to note that this new $99 speaker is purpose-built with the on-device horsepower required to deliver the absolute best, most responsive version of the experience.

The Google Home Speaker is available in standard Hazel and Porcelain finishes, alongside two US-exclusive colors: Jade and a vibrant Berry. Google has also included a solid incentive for early adopters. If you purchase the speaker before mid-September, you get six months of Google Home Premium included for free. That $60 value unlocks advanced features like Gemini Live for free-flowing chats, Camera History Search for your Nest Cams, and automated Home Briefs. Overall, this looks to be the true next-generation smart home hub we have been waiting for, and I can’t wait to get one in to test!