Nest Mini is dead – Google Home speaker hints at a new era
▼ Summary
– Google discontinued the Nest Mini speaker, a popular $35 device, upon announcing the new $99 Google Home Speaker.
– The Google Home Speaker does not replace the Nest Mini or Nest Audio, as it costs more and lacks features like an easy mounting method.
– Google’s smart speaker lineup now lacks a low-cost option, a category it had offered for nearly a decade.
– The new speaker is positioned as a first step in Google’s “Gemini era” of smart home products, potentially leading to future Mini or audio-focused models.
– The article expresses optimism about Google’s cautious, delayed approach to rebooting the smart home, contrasting with past rushed updates.
The Nest Mini is officially dead. With the long-awaited release date for the Google Home Speaker finally here, Google has quietly pulled the plug on one of its most popular smart speakers. The move leaves the company’s product lineup in an awkward spot: a new device that doesn’t replace anything it previously sold, and which might not appeal to everyone who loved the old one.
The Nest Mini,and the Google Home Mini before it,were among the best-selling smart speakers ever made. That success was driven partly by aggressive giveaways and partly by a rock-bottom price. For just $35, you got a capable voice assistant and, especially with the Nest Mini, a surprisingly decent little speaker for casual music listening in any room.
Now, that era is over.
Google discontinued the aging Nest Mini this week as it launched the Google Home Speaker. On the surface, the decision makes sense. But dig a little deeper, and there’s no clear replacement. The new speaker costs $99,more than double the price of the Nest Mini,and it doesn’t fit the same use cases. There’s no built-in screw mount for easy wall or cabinet installation, and the form factor simply doesn’t work in many of the spots where a Nest Mini would have been tucked away.
The Nest Mini will likely linger on shelves at third-party retailers and on the used market for years, but Google is entering uncharted territory. For nearly a decade, the company has offered a cheap smart speaker. Now, it doesn’t.
The Google Home Speaker also doesn’t slot neatly into the role of the Nest Audio. I’m optimistic about its sound quality, but our readers,and basic physics,suggest the new speaker won’t match the Nest Audio’s performance.
This leaves Google’s smart home lineup in a strange place. The 2021 Nest Cam reboot was essentially a direct replacement for existing products. But the smart speaker and display category is now trying to find a whole new audience. That’s not a bad strategy, given how saturated the market is. Still, it’s frustrating for anyone who just wants a straightforward upgrade or fits the old mold.
Yet, I can’t shake the feeling that this is just the beginning.
The Google Home Speaker is the first product of the “Gemini era” for the smart home, and it feels more like a launchpad than a destination. Much like the original Google Home from 2016, this device could quickly lead to a new Mini model or a dedicated audio-focused speaker down the road. I’d love to see a proper Google Home Max sequel. We also know smart displays are on Google’s radar, and the recent appearance of a “Google Home Display” in development makes me optimistic about what’s next.
After years of dragging its feet in this part of the smart home market, I’m glad to see Google moving again. And I’m even happier that the company isn’t rushing a full reboot. Like its approach to Gemini for Home and this first piece of hardware, “delays” aren’t a bad thing. They’re what customers have been asking for: doing it the right way.
What do you think?
(Source: 9to5google.com)
