Before now, the Google Home app crashes frequently, performing slowly, and scattering features. This made management of smart devices harder than it should be.
Now the tech giant says it is finally fixing the experience, and preparing its next set of hardware.
At a briefing on Wednesday, Google revealed a redesigned Home app built to be faster, integrate better with Nest devices, and include new features powered by its Gemini AI assistant. The company also previewed its next-generation Google Home smart speaker, due in 2026.
“I want to be very direct, the Google Home app has not been the experience that we’ve always wanted it to be,” admitted Anish Kattukaran, chief product officer at Google Home and Nest.
Google says it tackled the app’s reliability before layering in AI. “Number one was performance. Performance is definitely a journey. We are not at the destination…It’s got to continue to evolve,” Kattukaran said.
The results include a 70% faster startup, 80% fewer crashes, and more than 100 performance updates in the past year. The app now supports over 800 million devices from more than 50,000 manufacturers.
Nest Finally Under One Roof
Over ten years after acquiring Nest, Google is making the Home app the central hub for all Nest devices. Thermostats, cameras, smoke alarms, doorbells, and locks are now fully managed within it, with emergency alerts, history migration, and scheduling included.
For cameras, live views load 30% faster, playback failures have been cut by 40%, and scrolling through footage runs at six times the frame rate. Notifications now show animated previews, making it easier to check events at a glance.
Gemini Integration and Paid Extras
The redesign simplifies navigation into three tabs — Home, Activity, and Automation. Swiping controls make moving through dashboards and camera views more fluid. AI features powered by Gemini include:
- “Home Brief,” a daily summary of household events
- “Ask Home,” where users can type or speak natural questions like “when did the kids come home?”
- AI-generated descriptions for camera events, adding context to alerts
However, features like Home Brief and natural-language automation will sit behind a Google Home Premium subscription, starting at $10 per month.
A New Smart Speaker on the Horizon
Google also previewed a new Google Home speaker that fully runs on Gemini. The $99 device will launch in spring 2026 in multiple colours — Porcelain, Hazel, Berry, and Jade.
“It’s got to work for the existing users. We don’t want to force you to buy a new one unless you want to,” Kattukaran said. “And by the way, we think you may want to, but you don’t need to.”
The speaker offers 360-degree sound, noise suppression, and surround-sound pairing with the Google TV Streamer. A glowing light ring will visually signal when Gemini is listening or responding. Its 3D-knitted fabric casing is designed to cut down on material waste.
Rollout Starts Now
The redesigned and Gemini-integrated Google Home app begins rolling out globally from October 1, 2025, with wider availability in the coming days. Early adopters can join the test through “Home Settings” in the app.
