Google Home Getting Full TV Controls For Compatible Smart TVs Just Like Nest Hub

Google Home app now allows multiple buttons to control TVs compatible with Google Assistant or Google Home. These features were earlier offered only by Nest Hub, which means Google has finally adopted one of the most popular and potent features that Nest has offered for a long time. Let's see how users can now effectively control their Smart TVs using a single app from Google.

Google Home App Can Now Control Common TV Functions

Google has started to roll out full TV controls on its Google Home application. Television sets compatible with Google Assistant or Google Home can now be controlled using the app.
The Google Home app is now offering full touch controls for volume up/down, un/mute, power on/off, play, pause, channel and even adding or editing the source list. These controls were absent from the app, and users had to resort to Nest Hub.

The Home app has been undergoing several changes, confirmed Google. The company added that the app will have new User Interface (UI) elements. However, some Google Assistant routines have been facing issues, presumably due to backend conflicts or incompatibility.

The new Google Home UI has essentially ditched the old way of navigation. The new page allows Assistant routines to manage various features of each device. Previously, a page's drop-down settings only allowed users to adjust the on or off settings for each light or switch in their home.

Last year, Google claimed it was "rolling out redesigned controls for popular smart home devices in the Google Home app," including fans, air purifiers, vacuum cleaners, and TVs. Needless to say, Google Home is steadily becoming a one-stop hub for controlling smart and IoT (Internet of Things) devices.

How To Control Smart TV Functions Using Google Home?

Google has essentially adopted the Nest Hub controls and slapped the visual style or design template of the non-Cast smart speakers. In other words, users are gradually seeing a large virtual button to control volume, and pills housing commonly used features of a TV. The Play/Pause setting, however, features a different design.

It is important to note that Cast-enabled televisions or Google/Android TVs, will be served by the new Google Home app's media controls.

The new controls are being rolled out to participants of the Home App Preview Program. The controls are visible to a few LG and Samsung television owners who are part of the program. However, Google should gradually extend the ability to control Smart TVs using the Google Home app to every user.