'Why should I give Google money?' former Nest fans decry new leaked model, and I really can't blame them

Date:
Thu, 21 Aug 2025 22:00:00 +0000

Description:
Google has given us a sneaky peek at a new Nest smart speaker, but what will it be, and do we really want it?

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Gemini is coming to Google Home, and during yesterdays Made by Google event, we saw our first glimpse of an unreleased Google Nest speaker - a roughly spherical device with a colored light at the base, seen sitting on a table beside F1 driver Lando Norris.

Its about time too, given its been four years since Googles last home hub,
the 2nd-gen Nest Hub, launched in 2021. The question is, after such a long
and rocky road, will anyone want it?

First of all, I find it interesting that Google has given us a peek at a speaker, not a smart display. It suggests that Google is taking a different approach to Amazon (which released two new Echo Show hubs late last year, and those are now the primary interface for its new subscription-tier Alexa+ service), and Apple (which is rumored to be announcing a new Apple Intelligence-powered display in September).

The Gemini presentation certainly didnt tease a new Pixel Tablet Googles semi-portable smart home hub, which you can detach from its base and carry from room to room though perhaps its keeping that up its sleeve for later in the year. There was no sign of an updated Google Pixel Tablet to compete with the new Amazon Echo Show devices (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Despite its lack of a screen, the new Nest will need a serious silicon
upgrade to keep pace with its rivals. The Echo Show 15 and 21 both sport Amazons new AZ2 processor, which the company claims will let them run an LLM locally with no latency, so the Nest will need a complete internal overhaul
to compete, with a brand new chipset and more RAM.

That will mean a big price increase from previous Nest speakers - but will people be willing to pay? Google is currently facing an outcry from users who report that their existing Nest devices are throwing up error messages, or no longer recognizing commands. A US law firm has even announced that it has "begun investigating a possible class action" against Google because so many owners are reporting problems.

Device owners on the Google Home subreddit are certainly skeptical that the new speaker represents a fresh start for Googles hardware.

Not buying another Google Home product until they fix the thousand plus dollars worth of devices that I already bought and have been getting worse
and worse with each passing week, says the top-rated comment.

Seriously I've never bought a tech product that literally got worse over
time. It's insane. Why should I give Google [any more] money? A chilly reception

Thats not the only issue - users living outside North America (including me) might not ever be able to use the new Nest to its full potential. In its Gemini for Home announcement , Google explained that users can conveniently issue multiple commands at once to control your home: 'Dim the lights, and
set the temp to 72 degrees.' But I wont.

Thats because Google is ending support for its older smart thermostats in October , and wont be selling any new ones in Europe - including the Fourth-Generation Nest Learning Thermostat that launched last year in the US and Canada. According to Google, this is because heating systems in Europe
are unique and have a variety of hardware and software requirements that make it challenging to build for the diverse set of homes. The Fourth-Gen Nest Learning Thermostat should work seamlessly with Gemini, but Google says it'll never be available in Europe (Image credit: Future)

That also means well miss out on hot water control - a feature coming to Google Home very soon according to Android Authority , which secured confirmation from Google Nest and Home Chief Product Officer Anish
Kattukaran.

Im curious to learn more about the new Nest, but with Googles current usability issues, a potentially high price tag, and a lack of commitment to customers in Europe, itll have to work hard to convince me its a good investment. You might also like 7 things you should know before buying an
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/home/smart-speakers/why-should-i-give-google-money-f ormer-nest-fans-decry-new-leaked-model-and-i-really-cant-blame-them


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