Google Home updates at I/O 2023 feature app redesign and new Pixel home panel
Though much of the attention at Google I/O has been directed toward the expected release of the Google Pixel 7a and the Google Pixel Fold, the company also announced a slew of updates coming to the smart home. Google previewed its plans to support Matter, the smart home interoperability standard the company worked to develop, at last year’s conference. This year, Google is expanding Matter support throughout Google Home and is even bringing Matter to iPhone users in the coming weeks. Plus, Google debuted a new mobile app and a Pixel-exclusive home panel.
Google Home users will first notice that the Android app has been completely redesigned, now featuring a five-tab layout. After opening the app, you’ll first stop at a Favorites tab, where you can choose which devices, actions, and automations appear. Spaces will also be shown in the Favorites tab, which are groups of certain device types, like cameras, lights, and thermostats. You’ll be able to view your Spaces in a gallery-style section at the top of the Favorites tab, while your curated collection of devices, actions, and automations will appear underneath. If one of your favorites includes a camera, a live feed of the video can play in the Favorites tab.
The other four tabs are Devices, Automations, Activity, and Settings. The Device and Automations tab show you all the devices and automations in your home, while the Activity tab displays a history of your device and camera usage in chronological order. The Settings tab serves as the stop for all your Google Home settings, like home and room settings, device settings, and connected services. Also new is an inbox that will house messages about potential device issues or subscription updates. This new app format has already been used by Public Preview testers, but it’ll roll out worldwide tomorrow.
The Google Home app is also getting improvements on other devices, including smartwatches and tablets. The Wear OS app will be updated on May 15 to add a Favorites tab and support animated previews on camera notifications. The Google Home app for tablets will be optimized for landscape and portrait modes with an update that’ll become available sometime in June.
Google gave an update on its Matter support, which will now provide improved controllers for more than 60 device types that are certified for either Matter or Google Home. More importantly, Google is adding Matter support to its iOS app following the release of iOS 16.5. After the update rolls out, you’ll be able to set up Matter products with the Google Home app running on an iPhone. It’s a big step towards the interoperability that Apple and Google touted when they developed Matter.
Google Pixel users will soon be able to make quick adjustments to their smart home thanks to a new home panel. It’ll first make its way to Pixel smartphones next month, but it could come to other Pixel devices in the future. The panel can be triggered from the lock screen or through the quick settings, allowing changes without even needing to unlock the device. It’s especially useful for the Pixel Tablet, which can be used to view and control devices with one tap while it is docked and in Hub Mode.
Finally, the user experience for viewing Nest cameras in the Google Home app is getting a boost following the app’s redesign. You’ll now be able to see all the camera feeds in your home by tapping the Cameras Space, and the feeds can be pinned to the Favorites tab as well. The more useful feature might be vertical video history scrubbing, which lets you scroll through hours-long videos in just a few seconds. Google will also label the video based on what it detects within, such as people, vehicles, or other activity.
The features will come to most Nest cameras starting tomorrow, coinciding with the updated Google Home app. However, Public Preview users can add the first-generation Nest cameras to the Google Home app starting in July, with a full rollout to follow.
Google has lofty goals with Google Home and Matter, and the announcements at Google I/O are surely a step in the right direction. To test it out for yourself, look for a Google Home update to roll out tomorrow.
