The public preview is live and you can register from the application settings
Google gave us a preview of the upcoming Google Home app redesign early last month, showing off its updated five-tab layout and highlighting some of its new features. While the app will be rolling out to users early next year, you can try it out early by signing up for the public preview program.
A recent update in the Google Nest Community Blog (via 9to5Google) states that the public preview program for the revamped Google Home app is now live. If you want to give it a try, you can subscribe to the program by heading to the app settings and selecting New public preview Selection. On the next page, click Request an invitation button to join the program. You can also go back to the old layout by selecting File Revoke the invitation request option on the same page.
If Google accepts your app, the Google Home app will display a notification that it will soon be updated to Public Preview. You can click File Join the public preview Button in the notification to update the app. After installing the update, you will be able to access the following new features:
- Favorite: Easily access your favorite devices and actions. This includes the ability to favorite your cameras so you can watch live broadcasts when the app is running.
- spaces: Quickly access groups of similar devices such as lights.
- Hardware: Find all your devices and check their status easily.
- Updated camera and timeline views:
- Vertical video log timeline: Quickly scrub through hours of video record or jump into live view.
- Event views: Access the event menu and scroll to a specific moment. Watch the video in landscape mode on your phone or tablet.
- Quick Actions: Watch and talk to anyone in front of the camera or doorbell with live or pre-recorded messages. Call emergency services (for US Nest Aware subscribers only), go into device settings and download any event to your phone.
- Mini media player: See what’s playing in your home and adjust the volume or access the remote control.
- Activity: Review what happened in and around your home.
- Settings: Find and manage devices, services, and household members.
The support page with more details about the Google Home app public preview program highlights some known issues with the release. These include:
- Initially, you’ll be able to favorite your devices and actions in the Favorites tab, but not Automation. The ability to favorite your own automation will be coming soon.
- The new Camera Controller experience (with live and portrait log view) is only available for Nest cameras and doorbells set up with the Google Home app. These include the Nest Cam (battery), the Nest Cam with floodlight, the Nest Cam (indoor, wired), the Nest Doorbell (battery), and the Nest Doorbell (wired, second generation). Support for older cameras will be available soon.
- The redesigned Google Home app does not support a number of older devices (eg: Nest Protect) from the Nest app.
- Upon reinstalling, the app may revert to the old experience at first. Subsequent starts will restore the public preview experience.
For more information on the revamped Google Home app, check out our previous coverage.
source: Google Nest Community BlogAnd the Google Nest Help
Across: 9to5Google
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