Google is pushing its Gemini-powered smart home assistant to more users, and is rolling out Gemini for Home to 16 new countries.
After launching in early access in the US last year, it later arrived in Canada and Mexico. Now the upgraded assistant is expanding across regions including the UK, Australia, Japan and much of Europe. However, it’s still not on by default and users will need to opt in manually through the Google Home app to try it.
This global rollout comes alongside a steady stream of upgrades, which could suggest that Google is getting serious about replacing Assistant altogether. Over the past few months, Gemini for Home has seen noticeable improvements in speed, responsiveness and how naturally it handles conversations. These are all areas where Assistant had started to feel dated.
Google says it has cut latency by up to 40% for common commands, so requests like turning on lights should feel noticeably quicker. At the same time, Gemini is getting better at understanding context. It is also distinguishing between devices more accurately and even using location data to deliver more relevant weather and news updates.
There’s also a push towards more flexible, human-like control. Users can now issue more natural commands like asking for lighting “the colour of the ocean”. Additionally, smart appliances can be adjusted with more precision, including setting exact humidity levels or preheating ovens.
Some of the bigger additions lean into Gemini’s AI strengths. A new Live Camera Search feature lets users query Nest Cam footage in real time. “World-aware” alarms can tie into events like sports matches. Google is also opening things up for families. The company is adding support for supervised accounts for kids.
All of this points to a broader shift. Google Assistant isn’t gone yet, but it’s seemingly being phased out in favour of something faster, smarter and more conversational.
The rollout starts now and will expand over the coming week.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
