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Google Home App Boosts Smart Home Safety with Nest Protect Integration and Matter-Enabled Lock Support

Google Home App Boosts Smart Home Safety with Nest Protect Integration and Matter-Enabled Lock Support

Google Transitions Nest Protect to Google Home App, Expands Smart Lock Support

Google has announced a significant update to its smart home ecosystem, transitioning the Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide alarm to the Google Home app. This move marks the final step in Google’s efforts to consolidate its smart home devices under a single platform.

Users of Nest Protect will now be able to receive alerts and notifications directly through the Google Home app, eliminating the need for a separate Nest app. The new integration also allows users to hush alarms via Google Home, providing a more streamlined experience for managing their home safety devices.

While the Nest app will remain functional for existing users, Google plans to eventually sunset the application, maintaining it in maintenance mode. This transition completes the migration of all Nest devices to the Google Home ecosystem.

The integration of Nest Protect into Google Home brings a host of new features to users. These include emergency and heads-up notifications for smoke and carbon monoxide detection, critical status alerts for battery health and device issues, and the ability to view last-tested alarms and conduct system-wide safety checkups.

Additional functionalities include scheduling automatic sound check testing when away from home, modifying system-wide and alarm-specific settings, and viewing camera live feeds from the emergency alarm card. Nest Aware subscribers in the US will also have access to E911 calling directly from the app.

In a related development, Google has also announced expanded support for smart locks via the Matter standard in the Google Home app. This update, rolling out through a “Public Preview” on Android with iOS support expected in early 2025, introduces several new features for smart lock users.

These new functions include passcode management for household members and guests, one-tap entry and remote lock/unlock capabilities, automatic re-locking with customizable delays, and a Vacation Mode that locks the keypad to prevent unlocking from outside. Users will also benefit from one-touch locking and push notifications for lock events.

It’s worth noting that not all features will be compatible with all Matter-enabled locks, as functionality may vary depending on the manufacturer.

These updates represent Google’s ongoing efforts to create a more integrated and user-friendly smart home experience, bringing together various devices and functionalities under the Google Home umbrella.