The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th generation) starts shipping next week, and Google has started preparing by releasing a much-needed update to the Google Home app that will make it easier to control the temperature in your home.
Google unveiled the new smart thermostat at an event last week, showing off its sleeker design, curved glass front, and thinner rotating bezel. Now, Android Police has spotted some similarly smart upgrades to the Google Home app that make key features easier to access.
The app changes aren’t yet available to all users, but they were spotted in the latest public preview of Google Home. You can try them out if you want to be the first to test the new features and are willing to accept that there may still be some bugs that need to be worked out before the software’s final release.
More going on, but better
The new app doesn’t look any sleeker than the existing version. If anything, there’s more going on on each screen, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
As you can see in Android Police’s screenshots, 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. Likewise, you can now control your smart thermostat directly from the favorites menu, with a simple selection to increase or decrease the temperature.
The design updates should work well with the updated Nest Learning Thermostat, which can give you smarter suggestions for adjusting your home’s heating and cooling schedule to save energy. We were impressed with how smooth it felt to use during our hands-on experience last week, and it makes sense that Google would carry that simplicity over to the mobile app.
To join the Google Home Public Preview program and get an early look at new features like these, open the app on your phone and select Settings > Public Preview > Join Public PreviewAlternatively, you can visit home.google.com, sign in to your account, and then Public Preview > Join Public Preview.
