Google's new smart speaker: Gemini powered and ready for your home
So, Google had its big event this week, right? They showed off a bunch of new stuff, but I think a lot of people, including myself, got sidetracked by this quick glimpse of a speaker we hadn't seen before. It was during a part of the presentation featuring the F1 driver Lando Norris. This wasn't just some random prop; apparently, it's a real thing.
According to some sources, this mystery speaker is actually going to launch in several colors – a bright red, a light green, black, and white. From the leaked images, it looks like Google went with a fabric finish and moved the light to the base of the device, which is a departure from their previous speaker designs.
What's really interesting, though, is the functionality. This speaker will be able to connect to a Google TV Streamer for spatial audio. It's a feature Apple's been doing with their HomePods and Apple TV. I’m really hoping it'll work with any TV that uses the Google TV OS, not just the streamer.
It's also packing some other cool features, like new natural voice options, and the ability to pick up on sounds like breaking glass or a fire alarm – which could be pretty handy. Plus, it'll fully support Matter, which is great for smart home integration. And, of course, it'll be powered by Gemini, Google's AI model.
Google is pushing Gemini pretty hard, especially with Gemini for Home coming to existing Nest speakers and displays soon. There's even talk of a paid tier for extra features, like Gemini Live, but we don't know all the details yet.
I'm curious about the name. Some are calling it the "Home Speaker," but that might not be the final name. Also, there's no word on when it's coming out, but it would make sense to launch it around the same time as Gemini for Home. Google hasn't refreshed their Nest Hubs in a while. I am really waiting for a smart display upgrade to be honest, because it can be a game changer.
Source: The Verge