Google Home rolls out updates for Gemini voice commands and app features

Google is rolling out updates for Google Home early access users, covering Gemini voice commands, app controls, device setup, video history and Automations. The company described the changes in its update notes.

Google says Gemini should better filter background chatter during voice requests, respond with lower latency and handle follow-up conversations more reliably. It also says language recognition is improved to better support households where three languages are commonly spoken. The Find My Phone tool has received quality and reliability improvements.

In the Google Home app, updates include more accurate smart-light shutoff, redesigned camera and doorbell tiles, and a fix for Matter switches whose offline status was not displayed. Google has also addressed Bluetooth connection and Wi-Fi pairing problems when setting up Nest devices on iOS and Android. The app can now cache network information on a smartphone for reuse during future device setups.

For Nest Doorbell and security cameras, Google says a fix removes a “Video not available” error when viewing video history. Owners of Walmart’s Onn devices should be able to scrub video timelines more smoothly. The app also offers audio previews of video doorbell ringtones, with holiday-themed chimes planned and other themes expected throughout the year.

Google says an Automations bug that left multi-button switches and sub-devices without their parent-device names has been fixed. The rollout comes amid continued user reports of Gemini for Home performance problems, including a Google speaker stopping white noise playback overnight and difficulty switching off devices within a specified time frame. These are user reports cited by TechRadar; Google’s update notes do not say those issues have been resolved.