To say I’m invested in the Google ecosystem would be a major understatement.
Web browsing? Chrome. Emails? Gmail. Calendar? Google Calendar. Photos? Google Photos. Notes? Google Keep. Entertainment? YouTube, a lot of the time.
I rely on Google Maps to get around, and if I’m not reviewing another device, I’m probably using a Pixel phone. Even my TV runs on a Chromecast with Google TV.
In fact, the only main part of my digital life that doesn’t run on Google is my smart speaker. Ever since the Amazon Echo arrived in the UK in 2016, it’s been a mainstay of my home. I’ve gone through a few models since that original cylinder, including three iterations of Echo Dot and two sizes of Echo Show, but Amazon’s influence has remained consistent.
In 2022, I briefly flirted with Google’s smart speakers, buying a Nest Mini and trying it out for a few weeks. However, I was bitterly disappointed by the buggy experience and its apparent inability to hear what I was saying. Compared to my trusty Alexa speaker, the difference was night and day.
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And so that was that…or so I thought. My Amazon Echo has been absolutely fine for the things I need – telling me the weather, setting timers and playing music, radio and podcasts.
However, I’ve learned to avoid it for most other queries, with even basic questions either relying on a website I’ve never heard of or an “Alexa answers contributor”. Even when it sounds more definitive, such as a specific food being safe for dogs, the responses are caveated by suggesting to “check with your veterinarian”. I don’t know about you, but none of that inspires any confidence in me.
This looks set to improve dramatically with the rollout of Alexa+, Amazon’s upgraded, AI-infused digital assistant. However, there are no guarantees that it will perform as I want it to, and I think it’s time for a change anyway.
Gemini upgrade was written in the stars
Re-enter Google. Just a day after Amazon launched new Echo devices, Google returned with its first smart speaker or display in four years. Or five, by the time the Google Home Speaker is actually released in “Spring 2026”.
Why am I so excited for another Google smart speaker? Much of it relates to Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, which will be built into the device. Gemini has established itself as the most advanced digital assistant on phones, and I’d expect the transition to speakers to be relatively smooth.
Gemini is already able to answer hundreds of questions that weren’t possible with Google Assistant previously. When I ask it something complex, it usually gives me an actual answer, rather than just saying “I’m not sure about that” (looking at you, Alexa!).
If you’re willing to fork out an extra £8/$8 per month or £80/$80 per year, you’ll even get the human-like conversational abilities of Gemini Live, but that’s unnecessary for most people. You can still access its generally high-quality ability to answer questions without paying for a subscription.
New hardware is important, too
“But Gemini is rolling out to every smart speaker Google has ever released!”, you might say. Yes, that’s true, but there are specific reasons I’m excited about the Home Speaker.
Firstly, I’m expecting a big improvement in sound quality compared to my previous Nest Mini. Google has kept details to a minimum, but says the speaker offers “seriously good sound”. A key advantage over Nest models is a speaker that wraps all the way around the device, enabling 360-degree audio.
The audio probably won’t blow me away or even surpass the quality of a good Bluetooth speaker. But I’m no audiophile – decent sound, combined with a genuinely smart virtual assistant, is all I’m looking for. Even without an LED display, it should beat my current Echo Dot with Clock.
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Another plus for me is that the Google Home Speaker doesn’t have a display or camera. I really don’t want another distracting screen in the house, which I found more annoying than useful on both my Echo Show devices. And I’d much rather use a laptop for video calls than a smart display.
Aside from the Google Home Speaker being unexpectedly bad, the only other problem I can foresee is music streaming. I currently rely on Amazon Music, which isn’t supported on Google smart speakers (why would it be?), so I’d have to switch to Spotify or YouTube Music. Moving all my songs and playlists would be a hassle, but it’d also allow me to remove the thousands of saved tracks I don’t listen to anymore, so it could be a blessing in disguise.
Crucially, the Google Home Speaker is affordable enough to make it worth taking a punt on. It’ll cost £99/$99 when it goes on sale next year, matching Apple’s HomePod Mini. If you’re interested, head to the Google website, where you can be notified once it goes on sale.
If it’s as good as it sounds, Google could be onto a winner here. And my decade-long association with Alexa could finally be coming to an end.
Looking for Pixel phone accessories instead? Read our reviews of the Pixel Flex Dual-Port Charger and Pixelsnap Ring Stand.
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