Google Home is a smart home platform developed by Google that lets users configure, communicate with and control smart appliances using devices that run Google-made operating systems. Google Home communicates with devices using HomeKit, the software framework and communication protocol developed by Google, and the open Matter standard.[1] By designing rooms, items, and actions in Google Home, users can enable automations in the home through a voice command to Gemini, through Google's Home app, or third party apps.[2] With Google Home, developers are able to create complex applications in order to manage accessories at a high level.[1]
Google Home primarily competes with smart home platforms from Amazon and Apple. As of 2024, Google lists over 10,000 devices compatible with Google Home, compared to 1,000 for Apple and 85,000 for Amazon.[3]
Overview
Creation
The platform was initially created to manage only Google's own smart speakers (one of which was also called Google Home) and Chromecasts, but gradually expanded in subsequent years. The Google Wifi app was rolled into the platform in July 2021, and support for the old Nest app is gradually being phased out.[4]
On December 18, 2019, Google announced it would be working closely with Samsung, Amazon, and Apple to create an open standard for smart home automation called Matter.[5] Matter aims to reduce fragmentation across different vendors, and achieve interoperability among smart home devices and Internet of things (IoT) platforms from different providers.[6] The project was delayed to fall 2022 due to "unprecedented interest" by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA).[7] Version 1.0 of Matter was published on the October 4, 2022.[8] Matter has been supported in Google Home since Android 8.1 and its forks.[9]
Home app
While the Home app was introduced in 2016, it initally did not offer support for very many smart home functionalities at all. That came later in 2018, with support for devices that were devloped for Google Assistant.[10] More features have since been added, such as Automations in 2022, and Home APIs for developers in 2024.[11][12]
Google TV & Google Nest speakers
Android TVs with the Google TV interface can control Google Home devices using a home panel. The panel can only show devices marked as "favorites". But voice commands can still be utilized to interact with non-favorite devices.[13]
The Google Home speaker was the first smart speaker to support voice commands for Google Home via Google Assistant. These devices can unlock or open secure appliances like locks, provided a PIN is supplied verbally.[13]
Home hubs
Initially, hubs were not required for the use of Google Home, as it was primarily a cloud-to-cloud-based service, but since the adoption of Matter and Thread to the platform, which utilize local connections, they've become required for users that seek to utilize such standards. Google-made hubs that include both technologies are the Nest Hub (2nd gen), Nest Hub Max, Nest Wifi Pro, and the Google TV Streamer (4K).[14]
Device categories
"Works with Google Home" badge
Google Home currently supports the following device categories (an extended list):[15]
1 2 Fogli, D.; Peroni, M.; Stefini, C. "Smart Home Control through Unwitting Trigger-Action Progreamming". 22nd International Conference on Distributed Multimedia Systems: 194–201.
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