The leaked Onn speaker has a 10-watt driver, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Google Cast for Audio, physical controls, LED indicators, and a dedicated hardware switch for microphone privacy.
If Gemini speakers are around the corner with better hardware, the current Nest lineup looks a lot harder to recommend.
Google’s new Home Speaker is ‘Engineered for Gemini’ but what about older devices?
If the new smart speaker is equipped for Gemini, are older models going to get a worse version of the AI?
Nest hardware was not built for Gemini
They may work with Gemini, but you’re not getting the best experience
Since Google started rolling out Gemini for Home across legacy devices, the classic Google Assistant has been replaced on speakers that were never built with Gemini in mind.
The problem is, older hardware such as Nest Audio and Nest Mini were designed for simple voice commands.
They can set timers and run smart-home routines, but they were never meant to work like conversational AI boxes.
So even though Google says recent updates cut command latency by 40 percent, owners are still reporting trouble on older hardware.
Google has also drawn a compatibility line. The complete Gemini for Home experience is coming to Nest Hub (2nd gen), Nest Audio, Nest Mini (2nd gen), and Nest Hub Max.
Older devices such as Google Home, Google Home Mini (1st gen), Google Home Max, Nest Hub (1st gen), Nest Wi-Fi point, and existing third-party speakers support most Gemini for Home features, but not Gemini Live.
If you buy one of those older models now, you’re paying for hardware Google has already left outside its conversational mode.
Conversational AI needs better microphones
Can you hear me now?
Gemini Live is built for back-and-forth conversation. You can interrupt the assistant mid-answer and keep going with follow-up questions.
That kind of living-room interaction puts more pressure on the microphones, especially when the speaker has to hear you over its own audio.
The Onn listing calls out a far-field microphone array built for stable voice interaction.
It also addresses the privacy problem. Always-listening conversational models in the living room deserve more than a software toggle buried in an app.
Walmart’s device includes a physical microphone kill switch that cuts the microphone connection at the hardware level.
Third-party Google speakers may finally return
A little third-party competition never hurt anyone
Third-party Google Assistant speakers used to be common. Lenovo, Sony, and Insignia all sold them.
Google seemed to lose interest, manufacturers stopped launching new models, and Nest was basically left carrying the whole speaker lineup.
The CSA listing is the first sign that third-party manufacturers are coming back into Google’s speaker ecosystem for Gemini.
If Walmart already has a Gemini speaker in certification, buyers should not assume Nest will be the only game in town for much longer.
There could be cheaper options, better hardware, different sizes, and more ways to build a setup that actually fits your home.
Subscriptions make speaker pricing more complicated
A smarter, smart home comes at a cost
Gemini also changes the cost of owning a smart speaker. Google’s finest conversational features now sit behind a monthly subscription. Gemini Live on a smart speaker is available with a Google Home Premium plan.
|
Subscription tier |
Monthly cost |
Annual cost |
Key features included |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Free tier |
$0 |
$0 |
Basic voice commands, smart home control, standard responses |
|
Premium Standard |
$10 |
$100 |
Gemini Live, 30-day video history, intelligent camera alerts |
|
Premium Advanced |
$20 |
$200 |
Ask Home video search, 60-day video history, AI event descriptions |
Once the software costs $10 or $20 a month, paying top dollar for aging hardware makes less sense. Budget third-party speakers could soften that hit.
Walmart’s Onn brand is known for aggressive pricing, and shoppers can currently buy an Onn 4K streaming box for less than half the price of a comparable Google TV device.
If Walmart applies the same playbook to a Gemini speaker, the cheaper hardware could leave more room for the subscription.
A new Google Home Speaker is almost here
Wait a little longer before you click the buy button
Even committed Google buyers should keep their wallets closed. Google is preparing its first major speaker hardware in years.
Official announcements point to the Google Home Speaker. It is built for Gemini, priced at $100, and expected to be released soon.
Google says it includes custom processing for advanced AI and faster interactions. The new speaker even has 360-degree audio and a light ring for Gemini Live feedback.
This is the wrong time to buy a Nest speaker
The smart speaker market is in an awkward pause. Google is moving homes off Assistant and onto Gemini. Third-party Gemini hardware is already in certification.
Google’s own $100 Home Speaker is coming soon, and some older Nest devices won’t get Gemini Live at all.
So wait for the leaked Onn speaker, other Gemini-native third-party hardware, or Google’s first-party refresh.
Current Nest speakers can still handle basic jobs, but spending new money on one right now means buying into the wrong generation.
