It wasn’t my plan to spend more on Google One. But then Google quietly added appealing smart home benefits to its AI Pro tier, and suddenly everything changed. What used to be two separate charges—one for cloud storage and another for camera features—became a single, attractive package.
Why Google One’s Pricing and Perks Shifted
For years, I made do with Google’s free 15 GB shared across Gmail and Photos before upgrading to Google One Premium’s 2 TB plan at $10 per month. Owning multiple Nest devices, I hesitated to pay an extra $10 for what felt like the same data, this time from a seemingly opportunistic offer. Now, Google AI Pro at $20 bundles Google One Premium storage with Google Home Premium (the successor to Nest Aware) and exclusive AI capabilities. It combines the two subscriptions I actually needed into one package with features I genuinely find useful.
What’s New with Google Home Premium Plans
Nest Aware has been rebranded to Google Home Premium, split into two tiers: Standard and Advanced. The pricing remains familiar—Standard is $10 monthly and Advanced $20. Standard offers 30 days of event-based video history, while Advanced extends that to 60 days plus 10 days of continuous, 24/7 video history for compatible cameras. Classic features like familiar face alerts remain, and a notable upgrade increased the free tier’s event video history from three to six hours alongside the Gemini for Home rollout.
Why Gemini for Home Changed My Perspective
Google is using Gemini to replace the Assistant within smart homes, addressing reliability issues and shifting to a more conversational model essential for everyday use. Home Premium subscribers get Gemini Live, enabling smoother two-way talks on Nest speakers and displays—handy for things like explaining complex recipes without repeated rephrasing. Plus, Ask Home, an AI chatbot that turns simple text commands into multi-step automations, is coming soon. At the Advanced tier, you also unlock natural-language video searches, richer notifications, and daily summaries generated by Gemini.
Simplifying Google’s Subscription Maze
Google’s services have long felt scattered—Google One, YouTube Premium, Fitbit Premium, Nest Aware, Play Pass, and more. Industry research, including by Deloitte, flags rising subscription fatigue, and Google’s ecosystem was a prime example. Signs of simplification are emerging: in the U.K., AI Ultra bundles Google One Premium, YouTube Premium, Google Home Premium, and Fitbit Premium. In the U.S., AI Ultra excludes Fitbit, while AI Pro smartly combines Google One Premium with Home Premium at a cost lower than paying for each separately.
Considering Real-World Value as a Renter
As a renter needing a battery doorbell, I found HomeKit Secure Video limited by inconsistent battery options. Nest’s lineup suits me better, making Google’s camera subscription key. With AI Pro, I no longer agonize over whether 30 days of event history justifies an extra fee. I’m trading what I used to pay just for storage plus the camera features I wanted, while getting Gemini-powered improvements in speakers, displays, Photos editing, and Workspace apps. Plus, promotions sweeten the deal—for example, U.S. customers can get a free year of AI Pro, and recent flagship device bundles include a free year, encouraging upgrades.
This bundle finally aligns price with value. It wasn’t a flashy AI demo that convinced me but the everyday practicality: the storage I needed, camera features I wanted but hesitated to buy separately, and Gemini capabilities that make my smart home genuinely smarter. AI Pro streamlines what I pay for, rescues me from subscription overload, and actually gives me more.
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