Google is ready to release a full update for Google Home this month of May. The update includes new AI features, camera interface improvements, a newly designed web-based control interface, and expanded automation options.
The details were shared in a post on the Google Nest community forum and were also discussed in a Google blog post.
Gemini 3.1 and camera updates in the Google Home app
Users enrolled in the Gemini for Home early access program will receive an upgrade to Gemini 3.1. Google describes the model as the most advanced for home use, with better reasoning designed to handle multi-step requests with a single command.
Users can link tasks like adding items to a list while updating existing ones or combine setting alarms, calendar updates, and smart home controls into a single instruction instead of issuing separate commands.
The Nest camera experience within the Google Home app will receive a number of updates:
- Event notifications are now automatically cropped and zoomed to focus on the subject that triggered the alert, rather than displaying the full frame.
- The new user interface provides faster navigation and smoother video searching. Additionally, the event list can be scrolled without closing the video player.
- Some of these new features are expanding to older Nest camera models, not just the latest hardware.
Ask Home on the web and expanded automation controls
A new feature called Ask Home on Web is coming soon in public preview for desktop and Chrome OS users. It will allow users to search camera history, check device status, and create home automations directly from a browser, without needing to open the mobile app.
The update introduces support for more precise device states as automation is enabled. New conditions now include robotic vacuum status, appliance cycles, door lock states, and device battery levels. Notification improvements include quick action buttons that take users directly to the corresponding device dashboard and automatically switch between homes in the background for those managing multiple properties.
Additionally, users can opt-in to Public Preview features through the Google Home app settings.
