Google Home Speaker preorders open ahead of June 25 release
Google’s $100 smart speaker brings Gemini features, local AI processing and a new light ring after a long gap between home audio devices.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
3 min read
Google has opened preorders for its new Google Home Speaker, with sales set to begin June 25 at $100. The launch matters because it is Google’s first new home audio speaker since the Nest Audio arrived in September 2020, according to Ars Technica.
Google announced the speaker last August, and the device is now listed for preorder through the Google Store. The company is positioning it as a Gemini-era smart speaker, with voice interaction, local AI processing and closer ties to the Google Home app.
A new design for Google’s speaker line
The Google Home Speaker is a compact, round device covered in partially recycled fabric, according to Google. It will come in hazel, porcelain, jade and berry, though Google says jade and berry are limited to the United States.
Google says the speaker provides 360-degree sound intended to deliver consistent audio around a room. The design also adds a light ring around the base that glows when the speaker is listening, processing a request or responding.
The device includes three far-field microphones placed around the speaker, according to Ars Technica. A physical mute switch turns off listening for the “OK Google” wake phrase, and capacitive controls on top handle media playback.
Gemini and local processing
Inside the speaker, Google uses a quad-core A55-based processor running at 2 GHz, paired with a dedicated neural processing unit, according to Ars Technica. The speaker runs local AI models meant to improve sound isolation and reduce background-noise problems that can cause smart speakers to mishear commands.
The speaker also supports Gemini features. Google says buyers receive six months of Google Home Premium, which adds AI tools in the Home app and enables Gemini Live on the speaker for back-and-forth conversations with Google’s AI.
Ars Technica notes that Gemini is not exclusive to this new model, because Google has also made it available on other Google speakers. Older devices may lack the new speaker’s local processing and noise-filtering hardware, but the Gemini service itself runs in the cloud.
Audio trade-offs and TV pairing
The new model may not surpass the Nest Audio in raw speaker hardware. Ars Technica reports that the Nest Audio used a 75 mm woofer and a 19 mm tweeter, while the Google Home Speaker has one 58 mm full-range driver.
Google told Ars Technica that the new speaker’s audio quality sits between the Nest Audio and the smaller Nest Mini. That puts the product below the older Nest Audio on sound quality, while adding newer AI and smart-home features.
The speaker can also work beyond standalone voice control. Google says up to two Google Home Speakers can pair with a Google TV Streamer for “Immersive” audio output, and the device can connect with other Nest speakers and displays on the same local network.
At $100, the Google Home Speaker arrives as both a replacement-era smart speaker and a new access point for Gemini in the home. Its main pitch, according to Google’s published details and Ars Technica’s reporting, is less about high-end audio and more about improved voice handling, smart-home integration and AI conversation features.
This story draws on original reporting from Ars Technica.