Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR Google Home’s web interface began previewing new device controls earlier this month.
Today Google announces that Home’s device tab is ready for all of us to use.
While you can turn many of your smart home devices on and off, not all options are accessible through the web.
Google Home is having a moment. After a shaky summer of Home glitches that had some users clamoring for justice, over the past few weeks it’s felt like Google has finally started giving Home some long overdue attention, prepping for it getting access to Gemini, and updating it with new device controls. Another big upgrade has been in the works for Google Home on the web, and just a few weeks back we heard about new options arriving for its Public Preview program. Now those are finally ready for all of us to try.
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When you’re controlling a whole house full of smart-home devices, it can be easy to get overwhelmed — who’s used to thinking about all their lightbulbs separately? And while Google does an admirable job of letting us group those and manage them through the Home app on our phone, sometimes the easiest course of action is just moving to a larger display — one of the many reasons we’re so thankful to have the option to use Google Home on the web, too.
Stephen Schenck / Android Authority
So far, though, web access to Home has not been nearly as full-featured as the app experience, but Google’s working to narrow that gap. After first demoing it in Public Preview, Home on the web is now deploying its new Device tab widely, giving users a convenient control option for all their connected appliances.
Indeed, we’re now seeing the Device tab with all our connected Google Home hardware — but users should be aware that the experience you get through the web still doesn’t quite align 1:1 with what’s possible through the Home app.
For instance, Home on the web lets you toggle lights on and off and control their brightness, but you’re not yet able to change the color (or even color temperature) through this interface. To be fair, that’s not exactly a problem unique to this web view, though, and we just saw the same kind of limitation with the Home app’s revamped automation editor. And to Google’s credit, the company does say that it’s “continuing to invest in expanding controls for more device types,” so that’s a situation that should only be getting better.
If you’re a Google Home user, try out the new web interface right now for yourself at home.google.com.
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