By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
United States, May 05 ,2026 - Google has announced major updates to its Google Home platform, introducing advanced automation features designed to make smart home management more seamless.
The update, which is being rolled out this month, will encompass every part of the user experience, including voice control, device automation, and interactions with security cameras.
A key upgrade is the introduction of Gemini 3.1, which will be accessed by users who have enrolled in the Gemini for Home early access programme.
Google, which has labelled the model as the most advanced yet, said that it features improved reasoning capabilities that are designed to handle complex and multi-step requests.
The upgrade enables users to combine tasks instead of using separate voice commands. For instance, a single request can update shopping lists, set alarms, adjust calendar entries, and control smart home devices in one continuous instruction.
“Your smart home just got an upgrade. So far this year, we’ve made significant updates designed to make the Google Home app faster, more intuitive and more powerful,” Google said.
As part of an improved camera experience, Google has introduced zoomed-in event previews that automatically detect activities. This feature allows users to understand what has triggered a specific alarm without scanning the footage manually.
More from Kenya
Google has also improved the Camera interface to enable smoother video scrubbing, a redesigned timeline view, and an enhanced event list that allows users to browse recordings without exiting the player.
Notably, some of the new features are not only compatible with the latest hardware but also with earlier generation Cameras.
In an update targeting desktop users, the company is also introducing “Ask Home on Web,” a feature that will allow users to control their smart homes directly from their browsers.
The updates are also introducing a new ‘device trait’ capability that will allow users to monitor devices in their smart homes.
Within the home app, the tech company has also introduced “Quick Action” buttons that let users jump directly to device controls and switch between multiple homes in the background. This is particularly targeting users managing multiple properties.
The feature, which is set to be launched in public preview, will allow users on ChromeOS and other platforms to check camera history, check device statuses, and even create complex home automations directly from their computer’s browser.