Gemini is reviving the idea of a smart speaker for Google, with the upcoming “Google Home Speaker” being the first new hardware in years. Meanwhile, it sounds like we might also be seeing a revival of third-party smart speakers in the Gemini era, something we’ve not seen in quite a while.
For quite some time, “Google Assistant smart speaker” didn’t refer to just Google’s first-party hardware. Sure, everyone knows about the Google Home Mini and, to a lesser extent, the Nest Audio, but there was once a thriving market of third-party Assistant speakers from the likes of JBL and countless others. For some time, everyone was making an Assistant smart speaker.
Then, they mostly vanished.
The last memorable smart speaker with Google Assistant was 2023’s JBL Authentics lineup – which were excellent, by the way.
That seems to be coming to an end as we approach Gemini’s full launch. A product listing popped up on the CSA’s website recently – the organization in charge of the Matter standard – which reveals a new “Onn Smart Speaker” in the works by Walmart. The simple speaker has an understated design with Gemini voice controls and audio streaming via Bluetooth or Google Cast. There are also physical volume and play/pause controls visible in the single picture of the device, while a microphone switch is also mentioned.
The listing explains:
A Gemini-powered smart home speaker integrating voice assistant, audio playback, and smart home control functionality. The device supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and enables seamless media streaming via Google Cast for Audio. It features a 10W speaker and a far-field microphone array for reliable voice interaction. The product includes physical controls, LED indicators, and a hardware microphone privacy switch for user interaction and privacy protection.
Walmart hasn’t officially launched this device, nor have we seen it appear on the retailer’s website or in stores. It would certainly make a whole lot of sense, though, if this were to launch alongside the new Google TV hardware Walmart has been sending out to stores lately (also without their own official announcements). The listing was spotted by a user on Reddit who previously unearthed some early details about Walmart’s new Google TV devices.
It’s unclear when Walmart might launch this device, but it sets the stage for a revival of third-party smart speaker hardware powered by Google’s voice assistant. Gemini is already available on a host of older Assistant speakers, so this makes some level of sense, but it’ll certainly be interesting to see what launches down the pipeline.
Meanwhile, the Google Home Speaker is set to launch in the near future, potentially in a matter of weeks based on the company’s initial timeline.
More on Gemini for Home:
- Google Home will roll out Gemini upgrades more widely in Europe, Asia-Pacific this week
- Google Home app modernizes camera & media controls, Gemini voice assistant gets speed upgrades
- The Google Home Speaker’s ‘delay’ isn’t just a good thing, it’s what you wanted
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