Google Home App Gets Major Redesign with Gemini AI; Assistant Replaced

Google announced a major upgrade to its smart home platform. Specifically, the company is rolling out a redesigned Google Home app.

Furthermore, it is introducing ‘Gemini for Home,’ a new foundational AI intelligence. This update aims to improve how users manage and interact with smart devices.

Gemini for Home: Conversational AI

‘Gemini for Home’ will replace the old Google Assistant. It will run on smart speakers and displays. Consequently, this enhances the intelligence of all connected devices. The key benefit is Gemini’s ability to understand vague human context. It can also handle complex, conversational requests.

Key AI Capabilities:

• Conversational Continuity: Users get follow-up conversations without repeating context. For example, you can ask about your favorite topics. You can then follow up. Gemini will know you are still discussing the same topics.
• Complex Smart Home Control: Gemini can now handles complex smart home control. It understands natural language for specific tasks. For instance, it identifies the kitchen lights you mean when you say you are about to cook.
• Media Discovery: It can find content using descriptive, vague language.

Smart Cameras Become “AI” Cameras

A significant upgrade involves smart cameras. Gemini gains access to camera footage. This transforms them into “AI” cameras. Therefore, this eliminates low-context alerts like “motion detected.” It favors intelligent summaries instead. Users now get AI Descriptions in alerts. Video history also features detailed narratives.

The Home Brief is another new feature Google has introduced. Gemini summarizes hours of footage into a quick, digestible recap of the day’s events. Similarly, Natural Language Search is available. Users can search video history using simple questions.

Redesigned Google Home App

Google promises the app’s redesign will load significantly faster. To illustrate, it streamlines the user experience. It now uses a new three-tab layout. The Home Tab offers a consolidated overview. The Activity Tab is a single history hub. It is where users find the Home Brief summary. Finally, the Automations Tab shows scheduled routines. Users can create powerful new routines simply by describing them. In addition, the app integrates core Nest features.

Availability

The redesigned Google Home app is rolling out globally now. Users can update via the Play Store and App Store. The new Gemini for Home capabilities will be available across Google devices. This includes speakers, smart displays, and cameras. They will roll out through an early access program starting this month.

Note: However, key features require a Google Home Premium subscription. These include Gemini Live and AI-powered Notifications. Plans start at $10 a month. Alternatively, these features are also included with Google AI Pro and Ultra subscriptions at no extra cost.