Google Home is finally ready to support smart buttons.
Support will roll out with version 4.8 of the app. Initially, you’ll be able to use different types of button presses, such as single or multi-press, long press, and long press release, as triggers to start automations.
Smart buttons have been around for years, and are helpful for those who don’t want to use voice commands or fiddle with an app on their phone. Just press a button to initiate actions on connected devices assigned, whether that’s opening the blinds, switching on lights, playing music, or running any other preset routine.
As The Verge reports, Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings already support smart buttons. For now, Google Home’s button support will be limited. It will not work with Gemini-powered features like Ask Home or Help me create, Google notes in its support page.
The company is also updating the Home app to support some new conditional actions. You’ll be able to trigger automations when humidity reaches a certain level, the robot vacuum gets docked, and when a device is charging or its battery is low. Additionally, you’ll be able to assign a specific color or color temperature to new smart lights.
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The update also fixes the “video not available” error. Users had complained that tapping a doorbell or security camera notification often showed this error message in the app instead of the video.
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Jibin is a tech news writer based out of Ahmedabad, India. Previously, he served as the editor of iGeeksBlog and is a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex information for a broader audience.
