Key Takeaways
- Google Home may soon feature a search bar in the Devices tab for better device management.
- Recent updates include support for all Google Home-compatible HVAC controllers and new Gemini integration.
- Material You theming is upcoming, suggesting Google is actively improving smart home control interfaces.
Google Home is one of the most popular smart home control ecosystems, but lately, its software team hasn’t quite delivered on the quality-of-life upgrades that its most savvy users demand. That could change at least a little with one potential upcoming feature.
Google, using a search bar?
Whoever would have thought?
Per a finding by code sleuth AssembleDebug in an APK teardown, Android Authority reports that within the app’s latest code — which is still working toward a stable, public release of version 3.23.1.3 — includes a search bar within the Devices tab, to make locating and managing a particular smart device considerably more convenient. This won’t address a huge swath of longtime Google Home and Nest users’ complaints, which are numerous and long-standing, but it is a step in the right direction.
From the developer’s side, it does appear the team’s been doing useful work, as last month’s thermostat UI rollout included support for all Google Home-compatible HVAC controllers, instead of focusing solely on the new 4th-gen Nest Thermostat. Far from an isolated improvement, engineers are also further integrating Gemini into the Google Home ecosystem, in addition to enabling the new Google TV Streamer to function as an all-encompassing smart home hub.
Also revealed by the APK snooping was the addition of Material You theming within the Google Home app. This change is slated to replace the current, simple scheme of light mode or dark mode backgrounds and light blue accents with various colors selected automatically by the dynamic theme’s algorithms.
Overall, all indications are that Google is actively listening to users and continuing to streamline its smart home control interfaces and compatibility. Only time will tell if Google can manage to bring all previous Nest devices under the same, user-friendly umbrella, but recent developments paint a more positive picture than was apparent several months ago. While there’s currently no set release date for these two new features, they appear to be ready to go at any moment.
Source link
