Google Home app hints of Google Nest Audio branding

If you’ve heard of smart speakers then the chances are Google Home might be one of them. On May 7, 2019, during the Google I/O keynote, Google announced that all of their smart home products will henceforth be marketed under the Nest brand. Well, it seems the Google Home app has given us some insight into the new ‘Nest Audio’ branding and something more.

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The Google Home app version 2.28 adds support for OnHub routers and lets the users better control notifications. It also reveals “Nest Audio” as the possible name of Google’s next speaker and work on Home/Away Assistant Routines. This was revealed when the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store was decompiled. Various lines of code revealed some hints at possible future features. However, one thing to note is that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and maybe the interpretation of the code on what they are may be imperfect.

An earlier version of the companion app revealed the existence of “device_ynb” and referred to it as a “Nest Speaker.” That string in Google Home 2.28 has been updated to “Nest Audio.” Google is bringing the Nest ecosystem’s “Home & Away” feature to Google Assistant as “presence detection.” This allows the users to create a “Home Routine” and “Away Routine” to automatically adjust the temperature or turn on/off lights when they arrive or leave their home.

The “Home occupancy” feature uses the location of the user’s phone. Users must grant the necessary permission, while others in the home can be invited to have their device used to determine if anybody is home. The Google Home app also brings over existing Nest features, which includes “user roles” with “access levels.” This could lead to Nest Secure users no longer needing the Nest app to manage the alarm system.

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