Google Nest and Home speakers fail to answer basic queries due to Assistant glitch
Google Home and Nest speakers experienced a widespread glitch in late December that left them unable to respond to basic voice commands for nearly a week. The company reportedly resolved the issue and said it was investigating the root cause.
What happened
Google Home and Nest speakers and displays became unresponsive to basic voice commands starting at least Dec. 30, affecting users for nearly a week. Users reported that even simple queries like 'What's the weather?' and 'What's the time?' would cause the Assistant to remain silent or show a perpetual loading screen instead of responding.
Reported impact
Users reported their Google Nest Hubs and Nest Audio smart speakers could not answer core questions, leaving them unable to obtain basic information through voice commands. Some devices showed the correct weather and time on displays but could not respond to verbal requests for the same information.
Index analysis
Google said the issue was resolved for most users and confirmed that certain requests like smart home or media control remained functional, suggesting the problem was specific to how the system fetched and delivered responses to information queries.
Governance controls
Google confirmed it had resolved the issue and stated the team was investigating the root cause. A Google spokesperson said 'all users should be up and running now.'
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.