Does Evidence Suggest Google Will Launch a New Smart Home Platform?

Recently, I read a Tech Radar post about Google Home and its recent failures with quite a bit of interest. I would not have cared had I not just finished reading another article about a new Google smart speaker powered by the company’s AI machine, Gemini. I put the two together and began wondering if Google is about to launch a new smart home platform. It sure looks that way.

Google Home Devices Breaking Down

Google Home has been Alphabet’s signature home automation platform for years. But according to the Tech Radar post dated July 2025, users have increasingly become more frustrated because their devices are breaking down. Users are seeing far more bugs, including smart speakers not responding to commands and devices outright failing to communicate with one another.

The Tech Radar piece goes on to explain how angry users have been contacting Google and leaving nasty comments on their blog posts. Google has acknowledged their frustrations. The company has also promised a fix in the fall.

A Gemini-Powered Smart Speaker

Google’s promise to fix broken systems in the fall points to the second article posted on the Verge website about a month later. This post was all about the new hardware Google was introducing at the annual Made by Google event.

What caught writer Dominic Preston’s eye was the brief appearance of what appeared to be a new smart speaker powered by Gemini. He is not the only one raising questions. Preston referenced an article posted by Android Headlines claiming that a Gemini-powered smart speaker is the real deal.

So what does it all mean? We all know the biggest names in tech have been embroiled in an AI war for the last two or three years. Google, Amazon, Samsung, Apple, and a few others are racing to see who can get to the top first. Even Microsoft is in on the game.

Forcing AI on Consumers

Since I brought up Microsoft, what they are doing with Copilot is the same thing I suspect Google is doing with Gemini: forcing AI on consumers whether they want it or not.

Microsoft Windows 11 is jam-packed with Copilot features. Microsoft is making no bones about the fact that they want their users to embrace Copilot in everything from office functions to web browsing. They really are not giving non-tech savvy consumers a choice. In other words, you really need to know your way around Windows 11 to turn off all of the Copilot features. At some point, doing so might not even be possible.

Could Google be up to something similar? I would not be surprised. Google has a distinct advantage over Microsoft in that they dominate so much of what goes on in the digital arena. But the company is also looking at a potential breakup after losing two antitrust lawsuits.

In the fallout from the suits, Google has already announced it is scrapping Chrome OS and likely merging it with Android. Future Chromebooks are likely to run a modified version of Android. Why would Google make such a move? Because they anticipate having the spin-off Chrome once the court decides how to break them up.

No Monopoly With Gemini

A breakup is not likely to impact Gemini for the simple fact that it has plenty of competition. No court can realistically claim Google has a monopoly on artificial intelligence. So it would make sense for Google to put more time, money, and effort into developing Gemini while letting less profitable things – like Chrome and Chrome OS – go away.

Gemini is already playing a huge role in Google’s search engine. If they can make it to the top first, Google can also position themselves to continue being a dominant tech force even if they are compelled by the court to separate the main company from its advertising business – which is another very real possibility.

All of this is to say that Google’s future could be significantly impacted by future court actions. I see Gemini as an insurance policy. Google has determined to position itself as the world leader in AI just as it has become the dominant online search and digital ad provider.

What It Means to Homeowners

Regardless of the implications of a Google breakup, any switch to a Gemini-powered AI platform could mean big things to homeowners. The result could be good or bad depending on a person’s perspective. Anyone not wanting to find themselves locked into Gemini-powered home automation in the future should probably think about getting out now.

There are other options, including Amazon and Apple. Outside of the big tech realm are well known home security and smart home vendors, like Vivint. The benefit of going with an organization like Vivint is getting everything in one bundle: home automation, home security, professional installation, and around-the-clock monitoring.

Independent Home Security and Automation

Yet another option is to go with an independent system. Going independent takes some work. It takes some time and knowledge as well. But building one’s own home automation system from scratch, using an independent and open-source platform, gives consumers a lot more freedom.

Open-source home automation platforms were significantly lacking in performance just a few years ago. But things have changed dramatically. Developers have kept up with their big-name competition and now provide platforms that are every bit as good, if not better.

We Will Know Soon Enough

As for Google and the potential of a Gemini-powered smart home platform, we will know soon enough. As this post is being written, summer is winding down and fall is fast approaching. If my suspicions are correct, we will be hearing of Google’s new platform in a matter of weeks.

If I am wrong, I will be intensely curious as to how Google is going to solve the problems its customers are currently complaining about. Because if a solution is not forthcoming or effective, I would expect a class action lawsuit or two by Christmas.