- We’ve seen a spread of what Gemini on Google Home will look like
- It comes as Google seems to have updated some iPhone -Apps early
- The official release date is intended to be October 1
The long-awaited Google Home update to bring Gemini to Google’s fleet of smart speakers with new hardware to fall on October 1st, but some lucky few are already getting a glimpse of what’s going to come thanks to an early app update.
This comes via Reddit, where an iPhone 16 Pro Max user (ironically getting the update in front of Android devices) shows several UI changes that seem to be set to land in just a few days when Google’s home update lands for everyone (via Android Authority).
The most obvious change is the layout that has been fine -tuned. Now there are three tabs at the bottom of the screen instead of five; We are left with home, activity, automations.
The website seems to combine the devices and favorites we currently have, adding a prominent Ask Home Bar at the top. This allows you to manage your Google Home Setup (such as creating automation or adjusting device settings) using the same natural language that you can use with other AI chatbots.
But as the user shows, to access these Gemini tools, you need to recognize the ways that Gemini may be using your data.
A much needed upgrade
Google Gemini has impressed us for some time on our phones, but the lack of Gemini in its smart home ecosystem has been an unnecessary frustration – as its smart tech feels less and less important despite the fact that these bots feel like the home assistants we were promised when smart speakers debuted.
I am also excited to build more automations.
I recently grabbed some smart home technologies like smart bulbs, but trying to design automations can be more trouble than I like. This ability to create automation using natural language sounds like just what I need and should make the technique more accessible to lots of people.
This update also lands as we are ready for Amazon’s BIG 2025 -hardware launch, which is expected to contain a lot of new devices, including smart speakers.
We will have to see how Google and Amazon’s upcoming messages are shaking out, but in both cases it feels like the other coming in the smart home, but for many these updates can feel like the features that smart homes should have had all the time.
