Material Theme it keeps coming to all Google apps without pause but without rush. This time it was the turn of Google HomeThe app for controlling Google's smart devices not only adopts a cleaner look, but also becomes a authentic control center of the digital homemuch more useful and consistent with the rest of the Android ecosystem.
Google Home is renewed with Material Theme
GoogleAs always, Google leads the way through the design of its applications. After redesigning tools like Google Tasks and Google Maps, it's now the turn of... Google Home deep makeoverThe app not only changes its colors and fonts, but also reorganizes all its content to become that smart home control hub that many users were expecting, with all devices just a touch away.
For those who do not know it, this application is the center of the Google smart device experienceBasically, if you have a chromecasta Google Home speaker, a Nest Hub, Nest devices, TVs with Google TV or Android TV, and countless others devices compatible with AssistantYou will control them from this app, being able to configure them, send content, adjust lighting, manage cameras, stop multimedia playback, create routines and much more.
With this redesign, the app aligns with Google's latest design guidelines, including elements inherited from Material You and the most recent versions of Android, such as the use of Dynamic Color or larger, more accessible touch controls, very much in line with the system's quick settings.
A new look: whiter, more organized, and an improved bottom menu.
The main visual change is the same as in other applications of Google: white becomes predominant throughout the interface, with blue color accents Some key elements and icons are in gray to help focus attention on the content. Aesthetics are prioritized. clean and minimalistwith well-defined cards, more legible fonts, and better use of white space.
The bottom navigation bar is fully adopted, abandoning the classic side burger menu which hid a large number of options. Now, clearly visible tabs and a prominent button have been added for activate the Google Assistantfurther integrating voice control into everyday life.
The number of tabs has been increased from two to four, grouping all previous content more logically. In the tab of Home Quick access to actions and devices is concentrated in the tab of Exploring Content suggestions are shown for sending to the TV, speaker, or other screens, as well as recommendations for discovering new content. new compatible features with your connected home.
This reorganization is not just aesthetic: it aims to ensure that most daily tasks can be performed with fewer touches and less timeIn the style of a control console, the home screen becomes the place where everything important is located, from lighting scenes to multimedia playback.
A home page that acts as a control hub
The main page of Google Home has transformed into a complete control hub for all your devicesUpon opening the app, the user finds shortcuts at the top which can be customized, while the application itself goes learning from your habits to first show the most frequently used actions: turning on lights, playing music, adjusting the TV volume, or checking a camera.
Far from being a cluttered screen, the content is organized very clearly by rooms and areas of the houseThis makes it easy to set up custom scenarios or control multiple devices at once, such as turning off all the lights in a room when you leave or pausing playback on all speakers simultaneously.
This redesign also gives prominence to the multimedia cards of the “now playing” typeInspired by the controls on Pixel phones, the content title appears in large letters, the play/pause button is clearly visible, and below it are the controls for fast-forwarding or rewinding, along with a clear progress bar and a volume control in the form of a horizontal bar, more comfortable than the traditional circular dial.
Additionally, certain devices include specific shortcuts: for example, TVs with Google TV display a button for Open the remote controlMeanwhile, Nest Hub smart displays add buttons to directly view the built-in camera. This way, the app adapts to the type of hardware you're controlling, offering smarter contextual options.
Home, Explore, Devices, and Profile tabs: all better organized
The tab Home It groups together several quick actions and devices, with cards that act as direct switches or as access points to detailed panels, depending on the type of device. Thus, some buttons allow you to turn it on or off immediately, while others, when touched, open a panel with more controls, such as the temperature of a thermostat or the scenes of a light bulb.
In the tab Exploring We found content suggestions to send to Chromecast, Nest Hub, speakers, and other compatible devices. Recommendations also appeared for... routines and automationsas well as tips for getting the most out of lesser-known features of Google Assistant and Google Home itself.
The tab Devices It becomes compact and simplified, displaying each Chromecast, speaker, screen, camera, or light bulb with smaller but clearer icons and, in turn, more accessible. Here you can see the shift towards buttons shaped like... pillInspired by Android's quick settings, these features make it easier to see at a glance what's on, what's off, or what's playing content.
Finally, the tab of Profile It adopts most of the features of the old burger menu, including the option to Send full screenshot or your mobile audio, account management, home settings, and access to the specific actions of AssistantThis is also where permissions, notifications, and the linking of third-party services are managed.
Smarter controls, Material Theme, and usability improvements
Beyond the change of colors, this renovation focuses on make home control more utilitarianMany icons that were once simple images have become elongated interactive buttons, capable of acting as direct switches or as access points to advanced configuration panels.
With the previous design, devices were displayed with icons accompanied by small texts such as "turn off light" or "play music". Now those texts disappear and The entire button becomes the main actionIf the device supports more options, tapping it opens a full panel with additional settings, reducing visual noise and making the experience more coherent.
The shapes of the buttons also change: active actions adopt a style of highlighted pillWhile inactive controls have rounded edges and a more neutral color. It also takes advantage of Dynamic Color to adapt the overall palette to the theme configured on the Android device, better integrating Google Home with the rest of the system.
Google has emphasized that it's not just about aesthetics. The refresh of the Cast controller and device management aims to improve performance. improve performance and stabilityreducing delays when sending content, changing songs, or modifying the volume in real time, which is key when controlling many elements at once.
Advanced features: voice control, household users, and compatible devices
The integration of Google Home with Assistant It's deeper than ever. The voice control button has been repositioned for easier access, and some devices, such as the Philips Hue bulbsThey allow additional actions via voice commands or from the interface itself, such as Color change or the selection of predefined scenes.
One of the most useful advances is the possibility of Add people to your smart home. Now you can directly share access to devices with your family or colleagues without each person having to add them individually. Permissions are managed from the appMaintaining control over who can modify what is essential in homes with many users.
The catalog of compatible devices is constantly growing. Google Home works with thousands of connected devicesNest speakers and displays, TVs with Google TV, smart bulbs, plugs, cameras, doorbells, thermostats, and much more. This broad compatibility makes the app a centralized point to coordinate the entire ecosystem of the house.
Of course, it's still possible to set up and control Chromecast, create speaker groups, play audio in multiple rooms, and manage lists, reminders, or routines created with Assistant, all from the same place and with one smoother learning curve thanks to the new design.
Availability of the update and how to receive the changes
With all this, Google Home It's been updated visually and in terms of usability, which is the biggest benefit of this update. As with other Google redesigns, many of these changes are being rolled out. from the server sideTherefore, simply updating the application is not always enough.
In practice, this means you can have the latest version installed from Google Play and the app will still display the old design until Google activates the new style on your account. The only thing you can do is Keep Google Home updatedCheck the app store periodically and wait for the new experience to arrive on your device.
Download Google Home from the Play Store to ensure you have the latest version and are ready as soon as all the new features are enabled.
With this redesign based on Material Theme and improvements inherited from the latest Android design trends, Google Home takes a significant leap forward in establishing itself as the key app for managing any smart home within the Google universe, combining aesthetics, simplicity, and much more direct control of all your devices.
