After Six Years Away, Google Returns to Smart Speaker Race with Gemini at Center

Google is launching its first new smart speaker in six years, engineered specifically for Gemini for Home—a more natural, conversational AI assistant that handles complex queries better than Google Assistant. The $99 device features 360-degree spatial audio and doubles as a Matter controller and Thread border router, embedding smart home connectivity into the core hardware. This return signals Google's competitive challenge to Amazon's Alexa-dominated market, betting that advanced AI conversation can differentiate its approach.