A new Google Home update just launched, providing users with more features, major bug fixes, and access to new features directly tied to Gemini. If you’re someone who relies on Google Home, you’re going to want to grab this latest update (via Android Authority).
There’s a lot to unpack here
This is one of those updates that just has so much, that it will probably take quite some time for most users to experiment with everything that’s new. Perhaps one of the more exciting features of the update is “Interactive Storytime with Gemini.” Users will now be able to “co-create custom adventures on the fly, interrupt the narrative to change the plot mid-scene, or remix classic fairy tales together in real-time.”
This is a great way to have some fun with your kids, making custom stories about them whenever you feel like it. In addition, Google Home has made improvements to timers and alarms, making it easier to get the results you want, when you ask for them. Furthermore, Google Home also “now understands how you prefer to set your time, whether you use a 12-hour or 24-hour clock.”
The update also delivers new bug fixes:
- Distinct Chime for turn off or down Actions: Turning off a device or dimming a light now plays a soft, descending tone different from the normal upward sound, confirming your command with a sound that matches the mood.
- Google Home Speaker light ring: Fixed an issue where Google Home Speaker’s light ring remained on with a pulsing LED even after routines finished executing. This also prevents lingering lights in dark rooms or during relaxation sound loops.
- [Resolved] Spotify outage: There was a brief outage with Spotify on Monday July 27th that was quickly resolved on the same day.
The update also expands Google Home automation support to new regions and adds support for new languages. More cameras will now be supported with Google Home, with additions from big brands like Eufy, Wyze, Tapo, Reolink, and more. There are a lot of changes here, so we’ve listed them all verbatim below from the Google Home support page.
- New quick ‘Save Clip’ shortcut: New shortcut makes it easier to download event recordings straight from your camera view. Just tap the 3-dot menu next to any recording in your event list to save it instantly by clicking on the download shortcut. (Tip: Want a custom clip length? Use the menu button while playing or scrolling the timeline!).
- AI event descriptions (Home Premium Advanced): Subscribers can now read helpful, auto-generated event summaries right inside the full-screen camera view so you know what happened at a glance.
- Smarter camera view defaults: The main camera view now opens directly to your timeline or event list so you can jump straight to important moments.
- Auto full-screen in landscape: Rotate your phone sideways while watching a live feed or recording in portrait to automatically jump into full-screen view.
- Longer live streaming: Watch your Nest camera live streams for longer without interruptions, thanks to under-the-hood stability improvements.
- Quick stream reconnects (Android): If your Wi-Fi or cellular connection drops, the app instantly notices and gives you a quick retry button to get your live view back up fast.
- Smoother feed scrolling (Android): Enjoy a smoother experience when scrolling through your camera list—video feeds now pause and resume seamlessly as you move down the page.
- Smoother camera history scrolling (iOS): Fixed a camera timeline issue on iOS where manually scrolling back to live video could occasionally get stuck on an empty historical frame
- Accurate battery status indicators (iOS): Resolved an issue where live streaming cameras with unreadable battery levels would erroneously display a dead battery icon.
- Performance improvements for Samsung phones: Fixed issue where camera audio stream used call volume instead of media volume.
And one final update brings improved error handling for “Works with Google Home smart locks.” This will show “clearer notification alerts during lock and unlock operations.” If you’re a Google Home user, this is one update that you need to get.
