Google updates its Home app with Gemini smarts

Google has acknowledged that its Home app, which oversees smart home devices, has fallen short in delivering a satisfactory user experience. As part of its efforts to rectify this, the tech giant introduced a newly redesigned app alongside fresh Nest devices and an upcoming Google Home smart speaker. This latest iteration promises improved functionality, better device management, and the incorporation of its AI assistant, Gemini. Anish Kattukaran, Chief Product Officer at Google Home and Nest, emphasized the need for these changes during a recent briefing. He noted that before introducing new AI features, the company needed to address existing issues within the app. "Performance is definitely a journey. We are not at the destination…It’s got to continue to evolve," he stated. Over recent months, Google has made significant enhancements, resulting in a 70% faster startup time and an 80% reduction in crashes. The app has also undergone over 100 updates, now functioning across more than 800 million devices from upwards of 50,000 OEMs. This marks a substantial increase from the 750 million devices the company mentioned at its developer conference in May 2025. Google aims to streamline user experience by making the Google Home app the sole application necessary for Nest device management, a transition that has been in the works since the company's acquisition of Nest in 2014. While the Nest app will remain operational for now, users should prepare for its eventual phase-out. The enhanced app supports Nest thermostats from 2015 and later, allowing users to manage energy use and schedules, as well as features for Nest cameras, doorbells, and emergency notifications from Nest Protect. Improvements to camera functionality include faster live views, smoother playback, and enhanced scrolling through video history—showing a 30% increase in speed and a 40% decrease in playback failures. The updated user interface simplifies navigation with three main tabs: Home, Activity, and Automation. New gesture controls allow users to swipe through devices and camera views easily, enhancing overall interaction with the app. AI integration is a key highlight, as Gemini can now summarize daily activities within the home, providing a "Home Brief" that saves users from sifting through extensive alerts. The Activity tab not only shows history for Google and non-Google devices but also allows users to filter events or use the “Ask Home” feature for natural language queries. Moreover, with Gemini, users can request specific camera clips or automations simply by describing them. For instance, one could ask, "When did the kids come home?" or inquire about energy usage statistics. Some advanced AI functionalities, including home automation creation and the Home Brief feature, will require a Google Home Premium subscription, starting at $10 per month. The Google Home app's Automation tab has also been revamped, providing insights into upcoming automations and a more intuitive editing interface. The Google Home 4.0 app update is set to roll out globally starting October 1, with users encouraged to access early testing features through their app settings.