Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights.
The long awaited Google smart home revival is finally upon us, with the tech giant unveiling a bunch of new devices, all built with Gemini AI smarts powering the show.
It has, as was widely expected, officially taken the covers off a bunch of new wired Nest devices: the Nest Cam Indoor ($99.99), Nest Cam Outdoor ($149.99, or $249.99 for a two-pack), the wired Nest Doorbell ($179.99) and the Google Home Speaker ($99.99).
All of the new cameras add 2K HDR video to the lineup for the first time, alongside wider views, better low-light performance, and some new colors like Berry and Hazel.
This is Google's first set of cameras purpose-built for Gemini for Home, its AI platform that's now baked into Google Home.
That means these new Nest cameras aren't just capturing what happens, they're also meant to interpret it. So instead of a generic motion alert, you'll start seeing notifications like "The kids are on the trampoline" or "There's a bear in your back garden."
The upgrades aren't just AI-driven though. The new Indoor and Outdoor cams now offer a 152-degree field of view, while the new doorbell jumps to a 166-degree diagonal view in a 1:1 aspect ratio, which should be handy for viewing visitors head-to-toe as well as tracking packages left on the ground.
A redesigned sensor and wider aperture lens mean full-color footage even in dim light, while infrared night vision still kicks in when it's completely dark.
Google has also doubled its free 10-second motion-activated clip storage, extending from three hours to six. But for the real Gemini-powered extras, such as searchable video history, event summaries, and more descriptive notifications, you'll need the company's new subscription.
Nest Aware is officially dead, replaced by Google Home Premium, which is available in two tiers:
If you're already paying for Google's broader AI subscriptions, there's some bundling possible. AI Pro members get the Standard plan at no extra cost (with an option to bump to Advanced for $10), while AI Ultra subscribers get Advanced included automatically.
The good news is that the Gemini smarts aren't limited to the new kit, all Nest Cams from 2015 onwards are compatible.
Alongside the new hardware, Google is rolling out a major overhaul of its Home app. The redesign simplifies navigation down to three tabs: Home, Activity, and Automations and we're promised smoother swiping between them. Automations can finally handle one-time and conditional triggers, and at the top of the app you'll now find an Ask Home chatbot.
Ask Home can create automations from natural language prompts, search through video clips, or recap recent events without having to endlessly scroll.
This is all ties into the new Home Brief feature, which condenses your day's camera activity into a digestible summary, which is especially useful if you - like me - are constantly annoyed by your phone pinging every other minute.
The new Nest Cam Indoor, Nest Cam Outdoor, and wired Nest Doorbell are available starting today from the Google Store and major retailers. Gemini features are rolling out first in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, and Australia, with more regions to follow in early 2026.
As mentioned up top, cameras aren't the only new hardware though, with Google also teasing the Google Home Speaker; its first audio device designed specifically for Gemini.
The $99 speaker, due out in spring 2026, comes with custom processing to handle more natural conversations, plus a dynamic light ring that changes to show when Gemini is listening, thinking, or responding.
The speaker delivers 360-degree audio, supports stereo pairing, and can even be linked with a Google TV streamer for full home theater surround sound. Wrapped in a new 3D-knit fabric and available in four colors (Porcelain, Hazel, Jade, and Berry), it also includes a physical mic-mute toggle for privacy.
Finally, Google revealed a partnership with Walmart, that will see Gemini for Home hitting the budget-friendly Onn range.
The Onn Indoor Camera Wired and Onn Video Doorbell Wired will work directly in the revamped Google Home app, offering 1080p video, intelligent alerts, and access to the same Gemini features as Nest's pricier gear, giving Google a clear low-cost entry point to compete with the likes of Wyze and Blink.
With Amazon also revealing a bumper new crop of Echo smart speakers built with Alexa+ in mind this week, Google's timely revival could signal a brand new battle for mainstream smart home supremacy.