The topic Google Home can now use what cameras see as automation starters, Android widget… is currently the subject of lively discussion — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
The latest Google Home update lets you tap into Gemini’s camera scene understanding for automations, while there are a slew of updates across the Home app and voice assistant.
The big update today lets other smart home devices “use Gemini’s advanced scene understanding from your cameras in smart home automations.” This is available for Nest cameras and “select” Gemini Built-in cameras like the onn Outdoor Camera Plug-In. There’s a new starter that “lets you design automations based on visual insights” and “almost anything happening around your home.” Examples include:
To set these up, you just need to use simple, natural language prompts to describe the exact event you want to start an automation, and select which cameras should look for it.
The Google Home app is also seeing a handful of updates today with version 4.17. Of note is a more “responsive” Android widget that “ensures your smart plugs, lights, and switches react instantly to your first tap.”
On the Gemini for Home voice assistant front, the latest updates let you “combine an even broader selection of actions” into a single command, like: “Set a 20 minute timer for the chicken, start the vacuum cleaner, and play some relaxing music.”