Old Google Home and Nest speakers getting big firmware update

Google is currently testing a significant firmware update for its Google Home, Home Mini, Nest Mini, and Nest Audio speakers. This update, version 3.79.550760, introduces five notable features. The most prominent is an enhanced setup and Wi-Fi experience. Additionally, it brings improvements to audio performance and smart home control.

Notably, this update references "Google Assistant" as Gemini, the latest AI assistant from Google. This beta version is presently being tested for four specific models: the 2016 Google Home, the 2017 Home Mini, the 2019 Nest Mini, and the 2020 Nest Audio. The more recent Google Home Max, on the other hand, has been running on older firmware for some time.

Also, the newer Home Speaker model was not included in this update wave. It's possible that the Home Speaker already has these improvements, given its recent launch. Interested users can enroll in the Preview Program through the Google Home app. Once inside the app, navigate to the device page, then tap the settings gear icon in the top-right corner.

From there, select Device information and look for the Preview program option. Updates are automatically applied overnight. It's anticipated that the 3.79 update will be released to the production channel for all users within a few weeks. For more details, be sure to check out 9to5Google on YouTube.