Google Home Speaker review: A modest update for the Gemini era

The 2026 Google Home Speaker, priced at $99, marks Google's first new smart speaker in six years. It features a compact cloth design and impressive omni-directional audio suitable for large rooms. The integration of Gemini AI enables more natural conversations, representing a significant upgrade over Google Assistant. While the device leads competitors in performance, some of its best features are now behind a paywall, requiring a paid subscription to access the full Gemini experience.