Google Home app gets much-needed overhaul ready for new smart thermostat

Easier and more accessible

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TheGoogleNest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) will start shipping next week, and Google has started preparing by giving the Google Home app a much-needed update that should make it simpler to control the temperature of your home.

Google unveiled the new smart thermostatat an event last week, showing off its slimmer design, curved glass front, and thinner rotating bezel. Now,Android Policehas spotted some similarly smart upgrades to the Google Home app, which make key features easier to access.

The app changes haven’t rolled out to all users yet, but were spotted in the latestGoogle Home Public Preview, which you can try if you want to be first to check out new features, and are willing to accept that there may be some bugs that need to be ironed out before the final software release.

Busier, but better

The new app doesn’t look more streamlined than the existing version; if anything, each screen is busier, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

As you can see inAndroid Police’s screengrabs, features like the Energy Dashboard and fan settings are no longer hidden behind icons, but are large, easily accessible cards on the app’s home screen. Similarly, you can now control yoursmart thermostatdirectly through the Favorites menu, with a simple picker for dialing the temperature up or down.

The design updates should work nicely with the updated Nest Learning Thermostat, which can give you smarter suggestions for ways to tailor your home’s heating and cooling schedule to save energy. We were impressed by how smooth it feels to operate during our hands-on experience last week, and it makes sense that Google would carry that simplicity through to the mobile app.

To join the Google Home Public Preview program and get an early peek at new features like these, open the app on your phone, and selectSettings > Public Preview > Join Public Preview. Alternatively, you can visithome.google.com, sign into your account, then selectPublic Preview> Join Public Preview.

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Cat is TechRadar’s Homes Editor specializing in kitchen appliances and smart home technology. She’s been a tech journalist for 15 years, and is here to help you choose the right devices for your home and do more with them. When not working she’s a keen home baker, and makes a pretty mean macaron.

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