I’ve made no secret of my frustration with Google Home’s devices. Even as I’m waiting eagerly for Google’s Gemini Home to come replace the annoying Google Assistant, I can’t stop using my damn Nest Hub, even with all its annoying, worsening qualities.
It’s just convenient enough for me to stick with it. For years I’ve set certain morning, bedtime, and leaving-the-house routines, but I’ve had to use the IFTTT app to create of them because Google Home couldn’t often string together a bunch of actions based on a single trigger action, such as me walking through the front door when I come home.
Google’s been rolling out a new automation editor that makes it easy to create such routines right in the app. It can’t do everything yet, but it’s a step toward streamlining the Google Home process.
a step forward, but not yet comprehensive
The automation editor is rolling out to both the iOS and Android Google Home apps. You can’t yet control thermostats, turn a camera on or off, or set light effects and light colors through the automation editor. From the sound of Google’s wording, I expect those features to roll out eventually.
Some home security sensors, including motion sensors, are supported, but door and window sensors aren’t. Google plans on adding them down the road.
Google also points out that “some starters and actions from Personal Routines” aren’t supported in the automation editor, either, without getting into specifics as to what those are.
Google’s announcement points out that the features haven’t been removed from Google Home at large, though. “You can still continue to build Personal Routines, or use our script editor or the previous version of the automation editor, which can be accessed by following the steps in this Help Center article.”
Google is rolling out access in phases, so if you’re swiping through your Google Home app and don’t see the automation editor yet, it’ll come to you eventually.
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