Starting today, Google’s smart speaker can control a variety of new devices, including locks and sprinklers.
A dozen new hardware partners including Logitech Harmony, Lifx and August jump on board with Google’s smart home system.
It’s the first major update to Google’s smart speaker since it launched last November. Back then, the Home worked with four platforms: Nest , Philips Hue , SmartThings and IFTTT. As a result, the Home was well behind its chief competitor — the Amazon Echo — when it came to controlling the smart home. Since then, Google’s new partner announcements have included a few at CES in January , as well as Belkin WeMo lighting products and Honeywell connected thermostats a few weeks after that.
Say the wake words « Hey, Google » or « OK, Google » and you can issue a command to the Home without needing to hit any buttons.
This announcement doesn’t quite even the playing field with Amazon, since Amazon’s assistant Alexa now has more than 10,000 « skills » — essentially third-party apps for voice control. Still, it’s a big push in the right direction that includes many popular smart home products.
Google promised a push of this sort back in December of last year, when the company announced it’d be expanding Weave — the language Google’s devices use to speak to each other. Now, that promise is coming to fruition.
Ask Google to lock your door.
This is the first lock to work with Google Home. You’ll be able to ask the Google assistant to lock your door or check on the status of the lock. Unlike with Alexa, you won’t be able to ask Google to unlock your door. August has promised that feature for Google later this year. With Alexa, unlocking the door requires you to say a PIN code. We’ll see what extra security measures August puts into place for the Google Home when the time comes.
Just like with Philips Hue bulbs, you’ll now be able to turn your Lifx bulbs on or off, adjust their brightness and change their color with a voice command to the Home. Unlike Philips Hue, Lifx bulbs don’t require a hub to connect to the internet. Install your bulbs, link your account in the Google Home app and give your command. Lifx bulbs also work with Alexa , and will soon work with HomeKit.
Control any lighting devices or thermostats you have connected to your Wink Hub.
All Wink-compatible lighting products and thermostats will now work with the Google Home.
