I won’t pay for Google Home Premium and neither should you

The next era of Google Home is here. From a redesigned app to new Home hardware, Google hopes you’ll quickly forget about the problems of its smart home ecosystem and embrace Gemini-powered Google Home.

Admittedly, I am looking forward to it. The strangely delicious-looking Google Home Speaker would be the perfect centerpiece for my dining table, and the Material 3 Expressive redesign of the Google Home app makes it easier than ever to manage your smart home devices.

However, Google has completely lost me with its Google Home Advanced subscription. It’s confusing, has poor value, and bundles features you may not want.

While I’ll likely pick up the new Google Home Speaker on sale thanks to its 360° audio and improved sound quality, I’ll skip Google Home Premium.

Here’s why you should also give this new subscription the cold shoulder.

What is the Google Home Premium subscription?

Nest Aware, now with Gemini

The Google Home Premium subscription replaces the Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus subscriptions. These subscriptions are replaced with Google Home Premium Standard and Google Home Premium, respectively.

Google Home Premium Standard is included in the Google AI Pro Plan subscription, but Google Home Premium Advanced includes additional features to enhance the functionality of your camera and doorbells.

With me so far? Great because we’re about to dive into features.

You can check out the full suite of features on the Google Home Premium store page, but here are the highlights.

While Google did not bundle a price increase into the new subscriptions, July’s Nest Aware price increase renders this point moot.

I suspect that, knowing people’s ambivalence towards Gemini, Google separated the price increase from the new subscription to encourage adoption.

Google Home Premium’s value is questionable

I can’t see this subscription service attracting people who didn’t find Nest Aware worthwhile

I’ll preface this by saying that if you regularly use your Nest Aware subscription and you’re happy with the price, keep at it. Nothing is removed from your subscription.

However, if you’re tempted to subscribe to the shiny new Google Home app or the suspiciously tasty-looking Berry Google Home Speaker, think again.

First, Google Home Premium is still a Nest-focused experience. While Google Home Premium includes more features for your smart speakers and displays, it remains a subscription service centered on enhancing your home’s security.

If you live in an apartment, you’ll still find most of its features irrelevant. This isn’t a new downside, but it’s worth reiterating that the target audience is the same.

Secondly, all but one of the Gemini features included in the Google Home Premium subscription are included for free on your phone.

I can access and use Gemini Live right now. Do I want to pay $8 a month to use Gemini Live when I leave my phone in the other room? No.

Thirdly, do you trust Gemini to summarize your videos?

One of the major use cases Google suggests for the Advanced subscription is that you can ask Gemini questions like “Who came to my door today?” or “How did the dog get out?”

However, I have serious concerns about this.

For one, Gemini must accurately and consistently name every face it spots in your camera feeds.

Also, in the example of recording a dog escape, Google shows Gemini providing unnecessary details, like “The pen is wooden, and there are paintings and a plant in the room.”

Is this the kind of detail we need for security measures? A dog escaping is a fun example, but irrelevant information about people could lead to confusion.

Finally, without subscribing, you can still access Gemini.

Google’s landing page for Google Home Premium states: “Bring your whole home together with help from Gemini.”

However, this alludes to the Gemini Live and automations included in the subscription. You can still ask Gemini to set timers, adjust the speaker volume, and perform other smart home tasks.

For those of us who have become accustomed to Google Assistant, little will change in practice.

Google Home Premium is designed to sell you Gemini

It’s hard to see this new era of Google Home as anything other than an attempt to convince us that we need Gemini Live.

I struggle to find a need for it. Gemini is free on Google Home anyway, and I can easily access Gemini Live through my Pixel 8.

I see potential for the AI features for doorbells and cameras, but until we can extensively test them, I suggest caution before adopting them.

There are bugs Google needs to iron out, security questions to be answered, and questionable value in the Google Home Premium subscription.

Still, I think this new era of Google Home is a positive development as long as Google resolves these issues.