Image: Chris Martin / Foundry
While Google has recently released the Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold, much of the buzz surrounding the tech giant is focused on Gemini, its new AI assistant.
For smart home enthusiasts, there’s exciting news as Gemini for Home is on the horizon (you can register for early access now), alongside a fresh Home Speaker set to debut next spring. There’s also talk of a new generation of smart displays equipped with Gemini.
In an update regarding the new smart speaker and Nest cameras, Google’s Anish Kattukaran, the director of product management for Google Home and Nest, informed our affiliate site TechHive that the company is “deeply committed to that category” and will have more news next year.
Delaying the Home Speaker to Spring 2026 is a “very deliberate and intentional choice,” according to Kattukaran, aimed at “perfecting” Gemini for Home on current smart speakers and displays.
It looks promising that a new Nest Hub (or perhaps two) could be launched around the same timeframe.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Kattukaran has since elaborated further to The Verge, reinforcing the company’s commitment while suggesting that announcements may come sooner rather than later.
He emphasized that smart displays provide an unparalleled form factor for a superior home experience, given their range of integrated hardware.
“If you think about the attributes of a smart display—a microphone for audio input, a speaker for output, and a screen to complement voice interactions, enabling visualization of information,” Kattukaran elaborated.
This approach aligns with Google’s intent to integrate Gemini into various devices, especially since new models are overdue, considering the Nest Hub Max was introduced back in 2019, with the Nest Hub (2nd gen) following in 2021.
Although Gemini may function on older devices, new hardware will likely be required for the optimal experience. Google might reserve certain features exclusively for newer models, emphasizing the urgency, especially with Amazon recently unveiling an updated range of competing Echo Show smart displays featuring Alexa+.
