- Gemini for Home is slowly running out for users
- Maybe there’s a way to get to the front of the queue
- The hack does not fully work for everyone who tries it
Google is slowly rolling out the big Gemini for Home upgrade for its smart home platform, but there’s a waitlist and limited access depending on where you live and what devices you have. Now it appears there is a way to avoid the queue.
According to a user on Reddit (via Android Authority), you can force the update by entering the URL “googlehome://assistant/voice/setup” into Chrome on your Android device. It is currently unclear whether this also works on iPhones with the Google Home app installed.
If the trick works, you will be able to start a free trial of Google Home Premium and then get the Gemini upgrade. However, some users who tried the hack only get new Gemini-style voices for the same Google Assistant AI, so it doesn’t work for everyone.
Interestingly, the Reddit author who discovered the workaround appears to live in Italy. According to Google, early access to Gemini for Home will not expand beyond the United States until the end of 2025.
Try this at home (if you want)
If you’re desperate to start playing around with Gemini for Home – perhaps to report misbehaving animals – then the hack is worth a try. Keep in mind, however, that you will need to continue maintaining the Google Home Premium subscription to get all the best features.
While simple voice commands and actions are free, video history and more interactive chats with Gemini require a subscription – starting at $10 / £8 / AU$15 per month, after a free trial. You can also get these benefits with a Google AI Pro or AI Ultra subscription.
Everything seems to be working fine for Reddit users who have tried this hack, but it’s a hack, so bugs are to be expected. If you want to play it safe, you might be better off signing up for early access and waiting for Google to officially invite you to join the program.
The main part of the change is to make Gemini smarter and more conversational rather than Google Assistant, and it will also work with all of Google’s older smart devices. The upgrade also gives you features like more detailed AI descriptions of video clips.
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