Google Home Opens Nest, Gemini to Third-Party Brands
▼ Summary
– Google is expanding its Gemini-powered Home and Nest Cam features to third-party cameras, starting with affordable Walmart Onn cameras.
– The company believes these advanced features shouldn’t be limited to its Nest brand and will partner with other hardware manufacturers.
– Walmart’s Onn Indoor Camera Wired costs $22.96 and offers full Google Home integration with all Nest camera features.
– Walmart also offers a $49.86 Onn Video Doorbell Wired with identical Google Home integration and 1080p recording capabilities.
– These Walmart cameras are available immediately and represent the beginning of broader third-party camera partnerships for Google Home.
Google’s recent integration of its Gemini technology into the Google Home and Nest Cam ecosystem marks a significant expansion, now welcoming third-party camera brands to offer comparable features and connectivity. This move aims to broaden consumer choice beyond Google’s own Nest products, emphasizing accessibility across different brands, designs, and budgets. The initiative kicks off with Walmart’s Onn brand, which delivers high-performance cameras at remarkably low prices, ensuring that advanced smart home capabilities aren’t confined to premium devices.
The newly available Onn Indoor Camera Wired, priced at just $22.96, mirrors the functionality of Nest cameras in nearly every respect. Users can set it up directly through the Google Home app, receive notifications, access Gemini-powered camera enhancements, and store recordings with a Google Home Premium subscription, previously known as Nest Aware. For less than a quarter of the cost of many competing models, this camera brings professional-grade monitoring into more households.
Alongside the indoor model, Walmart offers the Onn Video Doorbell Wired for $49.86, featuring identical integration with Google Home. Both devices support crisp 1080p video recording, and the doorbell includes a built-in physical chime for audible alerts. These products are available for purchase immediately, signaling Google’s commitment to collaborating with additional hardware partners in the near future. This strategy not only enriches the Google Home ecosystem but also empowers consumers with versatile, affordable smart home security options.
(Source: 9to5 Google)
