Google has opened pre-orders for its new Home Speaker in select markets, with US and New Zealand buyers able to order now ahead of June 25 shipping. The $99.99 speaker brings Gemini for Home features, a dynamic light ring, and support for connected-home devices in Google’s wider ecosystem.

Google Home Speaker Adds Light Ring, Home Briefs, and Gemini Live

The new Google Home Speaker is built around Gemini for Home, which is the main software story here. Google says the device uses a dynamic light ring to show when Gemini is listening, reasoning, responding, or in Live mode. That visual cue is a small detail, but it helps make the speaker feel more active than a standard smart speaker that only reacts after a wake phrase.

The speaker also supports multi-step commands and Home Briefs. In practice, that means Google is pushing the product beyond casual voice requests like music playback or timer setting. The device is being presented as something that can handle more involved home-control tasks, though the exact depth of those features will matter once people start using it day to day.

At $99.99, the speaker sits in a highly competitive price range. It is aimed at buyers who already use smart-home devices and want a speaker that can do more than stream audio. Google’s pitch is not just about sound, but about making Gemini part of the home experience in a more visible way.

Google Home Speaker Works With Google TV Streamer and Matter Devices

Google is also positioning the speaker as part of its broader connected-home setup. It works with Google TV Streamer support, dual-speaker spatial audio, and built-in Thread border routing. Those features matter because they connect the speaker to the rest of the home rather than leaving it as a standalone audio product.

Thread border routing is especially relevant for users building out Matter-based smart homes. It helps the speaker sit inside the network layer of connected devices, which can make setup and communication easier across compatible products. Google is clearly leaning on that ecosystem angle, even if the broader smart-speaker market remains crowded.

The comparison here is straightforward. Amazon and Apple still set the pace for smart-speaker utility, so Google has to compete on usefulness, not just branding. Gemini for Home is meant to be the differentiator, and the success of the speaker will likely depend on whether those features feel more natural and more capable than the assistant tools people already know.

Pre-orders are open now in the US and New Zealand, with shipping set to begin on June 25. That gives Google an early window to introduce the speaker before wider availability, and it puts the product directly in front of buyers watching the smart-home category for new updates. For people already invested in Google’s ecosystem, this is one of the more important hardware releases in the lineup.