Google Home app gets updated with a new interface and Night Mode

Google Home app gets updated with a new interface and Night Mode

On the eve of Google’s Pixel event, the Google Home app is getting a facelift. An update is rolling out now that pushes the app version to 1.25.81.13 and brings a refreshed interface along with easier navigation. The Watch, Listen, and Discover tabs have been replaced by new Discover and Browse categories at the bottom of the screen. While the navigation might be slightly different, Google’s familiar card layout returns with some new cards in tow.

When you load the app, the Discover section will be your default destination. Discover will show you cards with tips to help you use your devices more effectively. Some of the tips I’ve seen are how to activate Assistant and how to raise and lower the volume. The tips are should shed light on how the device works to newer owners, but veteran owners probably won’t glean much from them.

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 If you happen to be casting from an app like YouTube or Netflix, the Discover section will display a card with which app you’re casting from, the name of the video, episode or movie, and which device you’re controlling. If you have a Chromecast or Chromecast-enabled device like a Vizio Smart TV, you’ll see a card near the bottom with the source for whatever is being displayed as your backdrop.
As Google’s latest product launch event draws ever nearer, the rumors surrounding it occur more frequently too. We’re only a day away from the Google show and we’ve already heard much about the company’s new …

The Browse section is a combination of the Watch and Listen sections from the old layout with some new UI tweaks. The search button has moved down to the bottom with tags for TV shows, Movies, and Music. Once you tap one of these tags, you’re taken to a new screen that focuses on that subject with even more tags at the bottom. I was able to drill down to “Adventure Action Movies that feature John Williams” before the tags reset and I was given new options. As a person who never knows what he wants to watch, it’s about a thousand times easier to find something when I can browse by a few different categories at one time.

     

 

Delving into the Music selection, you’ll see options from your Google Play Music or Spotify libraries. I was shown several different options for artist-related or genre radio stations, but only three options per category. That’s pretty disappointing and I feel like I’d save a lot more time by just opening up Google Play Music or Spotify and starting there. Even if you do find something interesting to listen to in the Google Home app, selecting it takes you to your music app of choice anyway, so what’s the point?

Bottom Line Google Home shows a lot of promise and while this first generation somewhat fails to deliver right now, it’ll only get better with future updates and third-party support. If you regularly use voice assistant …

The Devices section got a small update too. All of your cast-enabled devices will be listed here and the ones currently in use will have a thumbnail shown on top of it. You’ll notice the visual upgrade once you hit the volume button in the bottom right corner. A new window will open up with a redesigned volume bar (circular instead of horizontal) and buttons at the bottom to open the app you’re casting from or stop the broadcast.

  

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