Some Google Home Speakers Have A Big New Problem (And It's Not Gemini)

The new Google Home Speaker developed a reputation for being solid, dependable, and slow. The $99.99 speaker boasts features like crisp 360-degree sound, Google Nest Cam history descriptions accessible via Google Home Premium, and hands-free assistance for productivity and instant access to information. It also comes equipped with Google's Gemini, an AI assistant that has reportedly caused more headaches than satisfaction for some users because it can't consistently perform advertised functions. However, another major issue unrelated to Gemini but still seen among several devices may give some people a reason to ditch their Google Home Speakers.

According to 9to5Google, users are facing an issue where their Google Home Speakers eat up hundreds of gigabytes of data behind the scenes, even when they aren't in use. One Reddit user reported that their speaker downloaded 695 gigabytes of data in a month, while another Redditor said their three devices consumed 6 terabytes in slightly less time. 9to5 Google shared another idle device that burned up 17 gigabytes in just 24 hours. While unwarranted Home Speaker downloads and download size don't seem to be a problem for every device, they're a case-by-case issue; some owners, especially those with internet plans that allot limited data, are alarmed. Some Reddit users even resorted to disconnecting their devices entirely. "Disconnected and in the closet you go," one user said.

Google's newest Home Speaker's unprecedented download bug is an egregious error that could arguably outdo Google Pixel phones' unimpressive notification lights as the worst Google product flub of 2026. It's also a mystery that, though not officially solved, bears a solid theory regarding its cause. One Reddit user shared that their download problems stemmed from their speaker constantly downloading firmware but not installing it. 9to5Google backed this idea, claiming the suspicious timing behind certain data-usage spikes it observed could be attributed to failed download attempts.

Some Google Home Speaker users who have encountered this glitch may feel frustrated or discouraged by their device's unpredictable data usage during certain time intervals. However, owners should anticipate a patch for the download problem sometime soon. Google product manager Mark Alexander told Gizmodo the company is working to resolve it. "We are aware of the issue, and a fix is already rolling out that should address this for users," he said. Given the uncertain timeframe, users may want to mitigate unnecessary use and be extra vigilant toward their speakers in the meantime. You can do this if you own a router that lets you monitor your total data usage.