Google Home App Overhaul Delivers Usable Automations Without Third-Party Hubs
In a column for androidpolice.com, tech writer Sofia Holst argues that recent updates to the Google Home app make basic smart home automations straightforward to build in minutes, using existing devices without requiring complex platforms like Home Assistant or expensive dedicated hubs.
Expanded Presence Sensing Replaces Dedicated Hardware
For years, using Google Home presence sensing required owning a Nest-branded security system or thermostat. Holst reports that Google Home now determines whether users are home or away using phone location data and connected Wi-Fi networks. This presence state serves as a trigger for tasks such as running a robot vacuum only when the house is empty. Holst notes a limitation in the automation editor: users cannot configure an automation to run strictly once a day, requiring a workaround where time windows are shortened to prevent re-triggering during empty evening hours. Setting up household presence sensing requires navigating through Home Settings and Presence Sensing under the user profile picture in the Google Home app.
Morning Routines Linked Directly to the Google Clock App
Holst highlights that the Google Clock app allows users to create a routine that activates the moment an alarm is dismissed. Her own morning routine announces the day’s weather forecast, calendar events, and pending tasks, turns on a bedside lamp, and plays a local morning news station. The routine editor supports timed delays, allowing lamps to brighten gradually. Holst plans to integrate smart blinds and a coffee machine via smart plugs into her morning routine.
Cross-Device Triggers Control Lights via Projector Playback
Holst discovered that Google Home allows the playback state of a Google TV device to function as an automation trigger. She configured her projector setup to turn off room lights thirty seconds after playback begins, and to illuminate a single light when playback pauses. Similar automations can be applied to connected washing machines to change a light’s color when a laundry load finishes.
Current Limitations in Google Home Automation Logic
While Holst praises the speed and accessibility of Google Home’s updated automation suite, she points out that the platform still lacks support for complex variables and memory functions. Specifically, automations cannot remember an original light brightness or color level, preventing users from easily restoring a room’s previous state after turning off a projector.
