{"id":172278,"date":"2025-09-21T17:45:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T17:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/172278\/"},"modified":"2025-09-21T17:45:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T17:45:11","slug":"google-home-is-getting-an-ai-revamp-and-im-optimistic-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/172278\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Home is getting an AI revamp, and I’m optimistic about it"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\"Google<\/p>\n

Google is preparing a redesign of the Home app that focuses in on Gemini and AI features, and I\u2019m a little nervous about it, but still optimistic.<\/p>\n

This issue of 9to5Google Weekender is a part of 9to5Google\u2019s rebooted newsletter that highlights the biggest Google stories with added commentary and other tidbits. Sign up here<\/a> to get it delivered to your inbox early!<\/p>\n

As we reported on earlier this week, the latest Google Home app update sets the foundation for a big Gemini-centric revamp. This includes \u201cGoogle Home Premium\u201d<\/a> and the first new Google smart speaker<\/a> in years. But it also brings a surprise redesign to the Google Home app.<\/p>\n

This new design is hiding beneath the surface<\/a> of the latest Google Home app version, and it\u2019s a little polarizing.<\/p>\n

\tAdvertisement – scroll for more content<\/p>\n

The new app drops down to just three tabs along the bottom \u2013 Home, Activity, and Automations. An \u201cAsk Home\u201d search bar shows up at the top, and the main Home page then shows your favorite devices as well as a new button to show the rest of the list of devices. The Settings, Inbox, and other displaced features are then offloaded to the profile overflow menu.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Images via Android Authority<\/a><\/p>\n

While not as big of a redesign as the Google Home app we\u2019ve come to know since 2023, it\u2019s still a big shift.<\/p>\n

Google, with that 2023 redesign and its moves in the time since, has done a lot to improve on the experience of operating a smart home, and the solution it has created scales pretty well to bigger smart homes too. There are plenty of faults, definitely, but the overall product has felt pretty good to me, and I\u2019ve been looking forward to seeing continued progress.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why this redesign has me on the fence.<\/p>\n

On the one hand, the power of Gemini has a lot of potential to improve the smart home\u2019s faults. Between making it easier to search for events captured by your Nest cameras<\/a> to taking the work out of making automations<\/a>, the potential is massive. <\/p>\n

On the other hand, I worry that the focus on AI will take away from the core parts of a smart home that, frankly, Google still needs to get better at. <\/p>\n

As mentioned, Google has solved a lot of the sore points of running a smart home in the Home app, but there\u2019s still a lot of work to be done. Barely a month ago, Google literally had to acknowledge that, yes<\/a>, the experience of using Home, and especially Assistant, has been chaotic. If you\u2019re throwing AI into the mix, that opens a new door to a whole new kind of chaos. AI services, even Google\u2019s, aren\u2019t exactly known for being the most stable and predictable things.<\/p>\n

That said, I\u2019m overall optimistic. <\/p>\n

The Google Home app redesign isn\u2019t overbearing, at least based on the preview we\u2019ve seen so far, when it comes to shoving AI down your throat. It balances the existing experience with one enhanced by Gemini and, if all goes perfectly, it might even be better than what we have today.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll find out more in the coming weeks, but what do you think?<\/p>\n

This Week\u2019s Top Stories<\/p>\n

Samsung releases its Android 16 update<\/p>\n

After several betas, Samsung has finally released its first stable Android 16 update, with One UI 8 now rolling out to the Galaxy S25 series globally. The update will be heading to more Galaxy phones over the next couple of months.<\/p>\n

Meta launches new smart glasses<\/p>\n

Ahead of Android XR\u2019s upcoming debut, Meta this week launched its first pair of smart glasses with a display in the new Meta Ray-Ban Display. The $800 glasses look compelling, but they\u2019re not the only news as standard display-less glasses also launched with 8-hour battery life in a welcome upgrade.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2<\/p>\n

The latest Android 16 beta brings support for changing app icons on the homescreen among other additions. The beta is available for all Tensor-powered Pixel phones.<\/p>\n

More Top Stories<\/p>\n

From the rest of 9to5<\/p>\n

iPhone reviews from 9to5Mac:<\/p>\n

9to5Toys: Official price increases set to hit Xbox consoles in the U.S. (again)<\/a><\/p>\n

Electrek: The Kia EV4 GT may be the affordable electric sports car we\u2019ve been waiting for [Video]<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow Ben:\u00a0Twitter\/X<\/a>,\u00a0Threads<\/a>, Bluesky<\/a>, and\u00a0Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\"Add
\n\t\t\t\"Add
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t