Google Nest Doorbells Outside US Switch to American Accent, Users Report
Nest Doorbell users outside the US report their announcements switched to an American accent, according to Android Authority, while other Google interactions were unaffected.
The bug adds to a recent run of problems for Google Home. According to the report, Voice Match has most recently been struggling to identify who is speaking. While Google works on a fix for that issue, the Nest Doorbell accent problem has appeared without an announcement.
The Nest Doorbell issue is drawing attention because voice assistants are commonly set to speak in a user's own language and accent. Gemini for Home supports up to 10 languages, including English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese, and users can choose a preferred accent such as US or UK English. The report notes that while some people may prefer an accent different from their own, most tend to select a voice that uses their own accent.
One user claims the doorbell accent issue can be fixed by setting English (US) as a secondary language and then deleting it after a few seconds, according to Android Authority. The report does not say whether Google has acknowledged the problem or provided an official fix. It also does not specify which countries or how many users are affected.
The timing is awkward for Google Home. Voice Match issues and the Nest Doorbell accent change come as Google continues to support language and accent options in Gemini for Home. The report notes that a sudden accent change could be jarring for users who expect their assistant to speak in the accent they selected.