March builds on Google Home automation, extending Nest’s Yale Lock support
What you need to know
- Google has detailed what Home app users can expect from a pre-March update that adds new default launchers, security features and more.
- The Nest, Yale Smart Lock partnership expands this month, as Google offers users the ability to view lock history, receive notifications, and check battery status.
- Google also has a long set of additions/fixes for its Gemini early access home voice assistant test, such as one that improves its “insight” for smart home devices.
Google Home is about to go live in March, as reports come in about a major update that builds on several key areas.
This week, Anish Kattukaran, chief product officer for Google Home, was on X to discuss some updates to the platform (via 9to5Google). A short thread on social media highlighted improvements in how Gemini “directs” a user’s smart devices, starting with room-level commands. Kattukaran says, “When you say ‘turn off the kitchen,’ Gemini now intelligently points to the lights, rather than all the smart plugs in the room.” They added that unallocated items will no longer be included in standard requests.
These changes concern Gemini’s early access testing of Home for voice assistance.
Automation in Google Home is another hot topic, and with that, Kattukaran guides us through this month’s patch notes. Google says it’s adding more launchers and scenarios for users who want to create useful automations. A few of those include “Security system is armed,” “Device is connected,” and “Device is docked.”
Google’s Nest x Yale Smart Lock support is expanding this week, too. The patch notes mean that users will be able to view their lock history, receive notifications, check battery status, and more in the Google Home app. These features are finally moving out of the testing phase (Preview) and headed to users’ devices in a “gradual release.”
A better word for Gemini Home
Gemini Home is Google’s biggest smart home update in a while, but it needs a bit of testing. The patch notes details on additional updates to its voice assistant (in early access). The AI will now “implicitly” use your home address in the app when asked for help to deliver “appropriate answers.” Google says this affects weather and local news queries. The company also releases updates on Gemini’s accuracy and reliability for commands related to notes/lists, reminders, calendars, alarms, and more.
The remaining patch notes are as follows:
- Improved answers to use the latest Gemini models, resulting in improved quality of answers to informational questions.
- Reduced cases where users are disconnected prematurely while talking. This ensures that Gemini understands the user well, making it easy to absorb more water during live chats.
- Improved reliability of user-generated auto-tuning by voice. “Ok Google, it’s party time” will reliably trigger user-generated automation.
- Improved reliability for smooth playback of newly released songs.
- For users who subscribe to the advanced Google Home Premium plan, you can now “Live Search” your camera feed to understand the current state of your home. Previously, camera searches were limited to past events
- (March 2026 Nest Wifi Pro software patch) This software update improves Nest Wifi Pro security, stability, and mesh performance
The Gemini Home was unveiled late last year, and its early access period began in October. Users on Reddit started noticing early access emails going out, and the first few sign-ins reported “Ask Home” and improved camera features. Ask Home was part of a major update to Google Home a few weeks after Gemini Home went into testing. Ask Home key functions include daily summaries and chat requests.
Android Central Take
Besides phones, earbuds, and the like, Google’s smart home ecosystem (like its app) has always been on my radar. Improvements over the past few months—the app redesign, Ask Home, and more—have put it in a better place. Now, that doesn’t mean there aren’t problems—there are. People have experienced issues with the camera feature during testing, but there is at least some progress. There is at least some groundwork that Google can (hopefully) build on. The automation review here is good, as it comes after the previous one this year which I enjoyed.
