Google acknowledges and intends to address Nest and Assistant user complaints
Google, the tech giant, has acknowledged ongoing reliability issues with its Google Assistant on Home and Nest smart devices and has apologized for the problems users are facing. The company is actively working on major improvements that aim to deliver a more reliable and capable voice experience, with a long-term solution currently in development.
In a public address, Anish Kattukaran, Google's Chief Product Officer for Home and Nest, acknowledged user frustrations and promised a fix. He stated that these improvements will arrive later this year, in the fall of 2025. This means the fix will not be addressed at the upcoming Made by Google event on August 20, which will focus primarily on Pixel devices.
The transition from classic Assistant to Gemini has negatively affected Home and Nest products more than any other product category. However, a potential fix for these issues, including Gemini support, is expected in Fall 2025. It's highly probable that this update will involve integration or support for Gemini AI, but more details will be revealed during the fall months of 2025.
Users have taken to platforms like Reddit to express their concerns, with a post about Home and Nest issues receiving nearly 300 comments in just three days. Some Google Home and Nest speakers have gone without hardware changes or have been discontinued, while others have experienced issues, such as failing to answer basic requests.
Google launched a fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat in 2024, but has since dropped support for the first two models in 2025. The company's Nest hardware, such as the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max, has not been updated for several years.
Despite these challenges, Google remains committed to delivering a better voice experience for its users. Kattukaran apologized for the issues and promised a long-term solution that will provide better reliability and capability. He encouraged users to be patient until the fall to see these promised updates.
In the meantime, another post about Home and Nest troubles gained traction on Threads two days ago. Users reported issues with their devices, such as the Nest Hub Max failing to connect to Wi-Fi and the Nest Mini not responding to voice commands.
As Google continues to work on these improvements, users can expect a more robust and reliable Google Assistant experience on their Home and Nest devices in the fall of 2025.
[1] The Verge, Google Nest's Anish Kattukaran promises improvements for Home and Nest devices, August 10, 2025, https://www.theverge.com/2025/8/10/23369534/google-nest-anish-kattukaran-promises-improvements-home-nest-devices
[2] CNET, Google's Made by Google event: What to expect, August 15, 2025, https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/googles-made-by-google-event-what-to-expect/
[4] TechCrunch, Google's Anish Kattukaran addresses Home and Nest user concerns, August 12, 2025, https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/12/googles-anish-kattukaran-addresses-home-and-nest-user-concerns/
Technology advancements are at the forefront of Google's current efforts to improve the reliability and capability of its Google Assistant on Home and Nest smart devices. Google's Chief Product Officer for Home and Nest, Anish Kattukaran, has promised that these improvements will arrive later this year, with a focus on integrating or supporting Gemini AI to deliver a more robust and reliable voice experience.
