Google is pushing me away from Google Home and towards Alexa

Google has literally become an AI company. But ironically enough, it has clearly and consistently shied away from the one product category designed to make AI ubiquitous: smart speakers. Google’s neglect of its smart speaker line-up for the better part of a decade and its day-to-day performance has already caused people to question their decision to be in the Google Assistant ecosystem.

Not replacing these models, the new Google Home Speaker still has an unknown amount of time left, and given the current poor state of the Google Home/Nest speakers, there’s little incentive to stick with them. In comparison, Amazon is starting to look like a more serious alternative – it doesn’t force you to choose the one and only option.

There was a time when Google took smart speakers seriously. A time when we had a real choice of speakers of different sizes, even in the Google ecosystem, depending on how big a room you want to fill. Heck, there were even two different smart screen sizes to choose from. You can get a display for your kitchen to watch recipe videos, or put a simpler, screen-free smart speaker in your bedroom to set alarms and timers. There was something for everyone – but the good old days are gone.

You already know that Google hasn’t updated any of its smart speakers and displays in years. But at least the older models were still available. That’s changing now as Nest Mini and Nest Audio are out of stock to make room for the new Home Speaker.

The upcoming Google Home speaker is built from the ground up around Gemini and costs $100. Amazon recently announced the Echo Dot Max. That leaves Google without a budget or more premium option around the new Home Speaker, and that’s a problem.

With only one model to choose from, The Google Home Speaker is a no-brainer. This is the default (and only) option in the Google camp. This simplifies the shopping experience, but at the cost of nuance and choice – something that end users really prefer. I like having the agency to buy a device that fits my needs instead of being forced into the only option a company sells.

The Home Mini and Nest Mini all came out alongside the similarly priced Amazon Echo Dot, all to promote the idea that you can put a speaker in every room of your home.

The sole purpose of smart speakers back then, and even today, was not to be music-worthy speakers, but to be smart and accessible wherever you were. But if you still want high-quality sound and intelligence in the same device, Google had more expensive options.

None of them have survived today except one.

I’ve been hooked on Google smart speakers for nearly a decade nowbut that loyalty can only go so far. It’s almost in Google’s DNA to find a new media trend and jump on it, forgetting everything it’s working on. While I imagine AI would push Google to work on a line of smart speakers with renewed dedication, it’s actually pushed it in the opposite direction. Amazon, on the other hand, continued to produce new models with full commitment.

Just a few months ago, Amazon introduced its Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio, which are designed around Alexa+, an agent spray of its vanilla Alexa experience. If you just want basic AI in your room, you can still get the old $50 Echo Dot. Amazon also recently updated its Echo Show lineup with 8- and 11-inch models. I don’t particularly like them, especially since there’s no YouTube integration, but that’s more of a platform issue that doesn’t stop Amazon from releasing new products year after year.

My favorite Echo speaker is the Echo Spot, which has a small color screen that shows only the time and other basic details, making it a nighttime accessory for perfect privacy without a camera. Then there are fun, kid-friendly versions of these speakers with colorful patterns.

The thing is, Amazon offers a wider variety of smart speakers, so you’re more likely to find something for yourself than what you’ll find on Google.

Google Assistant has long been the superior option Compared to Alexa. He understood the internet better and didn’t always refer to Wikipedia when asking questions. However, this comparison is no longer valid in 2026. In fact, it works more against Google’s business now because Gemini for smart speakers it had a very limited release until now. (Looks like Google isn’t too interested in getting it to me in India.)

That was the only incentive to stick with Google Home speakers, but not anymore. Nest Mini and Nest Audio stocks drying up without proper replacements is indicative of Google’s neglect of smart speakers as a category. I’m particularly frustrated by the situation because neither the new Home Speaker is coming here nor the new Gemini experience for existing models.

Ever since generative AI took over all of Google, smart speakers have gotten so out of control that their existing the experience only goes down. Now I often have to repeat my commands or change my word to get the Google Home Mini to work properly, which wasn’t the case until a few years ago. Alexa doesn’t face these fundamental problems, even without the Plus update. Moreover, it is better to understand commands in Indian languages, which my mother, who is more fluent in Hindi, finds useful.

My jumping into the Alexa camp has little to do with Alexa being an objectively better assistant and more to do with the plight of Google Home speakers. The ever-shrinking lineup of smart speakers is yet another proof that Google is entirely to blame for my decision.