Google has announced a new update for the Google Home app's automation editor on both iOS and Android to make your smart home even smarter.
While the automations on Google's Home app worked, they were pretty restricted in what they could do. The new update from Google looks to change this by allowing users to add more conditions when setting up automation on the home app. Users will also be able to add one-time automations, removing the issue where any automation set would constantly recur.
The update also features support for many starters, conditions and actions that will allow you to create more advanced automations. For instance, you could set an automation that locks the door when the doorbell camera spots an unregistered face. Then add the condition that this should only occur when no one is in the house during a weekday between working hours.
How to download the new update
To get access to the new automation editor, you need to open the Google Home app and then tap “Create +” followed by the “New Automation” option. From there, you’ll need to name your automation, then add the starters, conditions and actions you want before hitting save.
However, while it is possible to download the new update now, some of the features aren’t available just yet. These include thermostat controls, turning cameras on or off and light effects and colors. The automation editor also doesn’t support some starters and actions from Personal Routines, but you can still build these using the previous version of the automation editor or Google’s own script editor.
While the new automation editor isn’t perfect just yet, it looks like it’s going to be a big change for Google Home users in the coming months. It isn’t the only big change, as Google has also announced it's replacing Google Assistant with Gemini on Google Home devices from October 1. While this could mean some big changes for some of the best Google Home Speakers and Google Smart Displays, there are still some questions regarding the difference between paid and unpaid subscriptions
For the time being, we can't wait to see what all these changes mean for Google Home and Google Nest. Let us know what you think, and if this is a change you're excited for.
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