Google to launch Gemini AI in Home on Oct 1 with new Nest devices

Google plans to introduce its Gemini artificial intelligence to the Google Home ecosystem on October 1, and parts of the update are already surfacing for some iPhone users. Early App Store screenshots and reports show a redesigned Google Home app, a new app icon that matches Gemini’s recent styling, and interface changes that place Gemini-powered features at the center of smart home controls. Leaked product details and company teasers also point to a batch of new Nest devices that would accompany the software rollout.

Screenshots shared online by an iPhone user show a streamlined Home app with three bottom tabs labeled Home, Activity and Automations and a prominent Ask Home bar at the top. The Ask Home field appears to open a chatlike interface driven by Gemini, allowing users to type or speak natural language requests to create automations, search video and event history, and generate summaries of activity. Users who enable the feature encounter a consent screen describing how Gemini may use data, and the interface includes a notice that the assistant can make mistakes.

The new app icon has begun appearing on updated iPhones, adopting a gradient and glossy styling similar to...