Google just launched Google Home Premium, a new subscription service that replaces Nest Aware and integrates Gemini AI capabilities across compatible smart home devices. The move signals Google's push to monetize its AI investments through bundled services, with pricing starting at $10 monthly and automatic inclusion for existing AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.
Google is making its biggest play yet to turn smart home users into subscription customers. The company announced Google Home Premium today, a new tiered subscription service that replaces the aging Nest Aware platform and deeply integrates Gemini AI capabilities across compatible devices.
The timing isn't coincidental. As Google faces mounting pressure to monetize its massive AI investments, the company is betting that bundling Gemini features with essential smart home services will create stickier, higher-value customers. Early market reaction suggests investors are buying the strategy - Alphabet shares rose 2.1% in after-hours trading following the announcement.
Google Home Premium launches with two distinct tiers designed to capture different user segments. The Standard Plan, priced at $10 monthly or $100 annually, includes what Google calls "Gemini Live for hotword-free conversations" - essentially allowing users to speak naturally to their devices without saying "Hey Google" first. The service also bundles Ask Home automation assistance, 30 days of video history, and intelligent camera alerts that can distinguish between people, packages, and pets.
But it's the Advanced Plan that showcases Google's AI ambitions. At $20 monthly or $200 yearly, subscribers get access to new Gemini camera capabilities that can generate AI-powered event descriptions, create Home Brief summaries of daily activity, and enable searchable video history through natural language queries. Users can ask questions like "Show me when the delivery truck came yesterday" and get instant results.
The real strategic move comes in how Google is bundling these services with its existing AI subscriptions. Current Google AI Pro subscribers automatically receive the Standard plan at no additional cost, with the option to upgrade to Advanced for just $10 monthly. AI Ultra subscribers get the Advanced plan included entirely. This creates what industry analysts are calling a "services moat" around Google's hardware ecosystem.
"Google is essentially making it expensive to leave their ecosystem," noted Wedbush analyst Dan Ives in a research note. "Once you're paying for AI Pro and getting smart home features bundled in, switching to Alexa or HomeKit becomes much less attractive."
