Google Home app receives a long-awaited revamp

A plethora of new products and updates for the Google Home app have been announced by the company in a long thread of 21 tweets. The tech giant has revealed many changes just before a major event on October 6, where the new Pixel 7 and Pixel watch lineup will be showcased.

The Google Home app is in line for a redesign with the new app's public preview rolling out for users in a few weeks. Soon, they will be allowed to sign up for it to get early access to the upcoming features and give feedback before the app is officially released.

The new design will modernize the Google app with a much more user-friendly UI and quality-of-life improvements.

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The Google Home app will have a tabbed design for ease of use

With the ever-increasing use of smart devices in the average US household, Google has to keep up and make improvements to its software. Over the years, two major smart home apps have been in use, Nest and Home, as not all devices are compatible with a single app.

Although the Home app has increased the number of compatible devices, it has become cluttered and complicated to use. The new version will come with a tabbed design with views for Automation, Activity, Favorites, Devices, and Settings to make it more straightforward.

In Favorites, users will be able to choose which devices show up so that the most-used of them can be added and the need to navigate through multiple screens will be avoided.

The "Spaces" tab (Image via Google)

A new upcoming feature called "Spaces" will allow users to group various things including devices, speakers, cameras, shortcuts, and more; it will be made available in 2023. For example, a new "Space" can be created for pets in which a specific live camera can be added, coupled with specific devices like a food & water machine.

The new Google Home app will also make Nest cameras compatible so that the two major apps will finally be merged. The native Nest app will not be removed from stores as of now and will remain in maintenance mode, but will rely on the updated Google Home app.

One of the biggest changes is the ability to add a live camera view to the Favorites tab so that users can add one of their most important cameras instantly.

Google Home app will have powerful automation (Image via Google)

Automation will also receive an upgrade with increased support for devices. The company also added that they are working on a new script editor that will add more than 100 features and capabilities to its automation routines. The main objective is to remove the need for third-party applications and have everything under one Home app.

Sensor-support will be added to Google Home as well, which means users will be able to trigger automated tasks by motion. Hoewever, the company has not made it clear whether it's just contact sensors or other types like smoke or leak, that will be covered as well.

Using the script editor, consumers will be able to link their devices in far more intricate ways and add more useful abilities. This feature will allow them to customize their devices in specific ways, something which no native app has the settings for.

Another new feature called "Fast Pair for Matter" will enhance support for the Matter smart home standard. Android devices will be able to automatically connect to compatible devices and users can quickly add them to the Home app.

Google Home for WearOS and Web (Image via Google)

The Home app will be coming to Wear OS as well as for Web so that users can access their Home's interface using more devices. All Wear OS 3 devices such as the Samsung Galaxy 4 Watch and Google Pixel Watch will receive a new app for on-the-wrist control of Google Home.

Later, in a few weeks, home.google.com will become available through which users can get a live view of their Nest cameras. The ability to access Home devices will make things more convenient and secure.