First look at the Google Home app powered by Gemini

TL;DR

• Gemini is coming to the Google Home app with a redesign that centers Gemini features.
• A new Ask Home search bar lets you type or speak requests and search video and home history.
• UI tweaks: Favorites renamed to Home; the bottom bar now shows three icons; Devices are accessed via a grid icon in the Home tab.
• Outdoor air quality and temperature can be added as a favorite tile; new video and thermometer icons appear on the Home page; hints of Nest hardware launching next month.
• The update broadens Gemini for Home to Google’s smart speakers and displays, enabling natural language control across the ecosystem.

Context and background

Google has announced Gemini integration across its hardware ecosystem, including the Google Home platform. The Verge reports that Gemini for Home is coming to Google’s smart speakers and displays, and that the Google Home app is receiving a significant redesign with Gemini at the forefront, based on a code review of version 3.41.50.3 by Android Authority. The update is described as a significant redesign; Android Authority found a new ‘Ask Home’ feature, search bar, and interface tweaks in the v3.41.50.3 code. The Verge.

What’s new

• Ask Home search bar at the top of the app enables typing or speaking requests and can search video and home history.
• The app foregrounds Gemini for Home as part of the UI, aligning with Gemini’s presence in Google’s smart speakers and displays.
• The Favorites tab has been renamed to Home; the Devices and Settings tabs have been removed from the bottom bar, leaving three icons (Devices now via a grid icon in the Home tab).
• Outdoor air quality and temperature can be added as a favorite tile; new icons for video and a thermometer appear on the Home page.
• The changes hint at a Nest hardware launch planned for next month.

Why it matters (impact for developers/enterprises)

For developers and partners, Gemini for Home extends Google’s conversational AI capabilities into the central Google Home app, enabling more natural language interactions across devices. The integration updates how users will discover and control home devices through a unified interface and search experience, potentially shaping how Gemini-enabled features are surfaced in consumer ecosystems. The broader Gemini rollout across Google’s smart speakers, displays, and related hardware suggests a cohesive path toward more seamless voice- and text-based home automation.

Technical details or Implementation

The updates appear in the upcoming v3.41.50.3 version of the Google Home app and are described as a significant redesign focused on Gemini features. Reported by Android Authority, the redesign centers on a new Ask Home experience, a top search bar, and UI tweaks while keeping the overall look recognizable. The bottom navigation is simplified, removing the Devices and Settings tabs, with Devices now accessible via a grid icon within the Home tab. Users may also place outdoor air quality and temperature tiles on the Home screen, and new icons for video and a thermometer appear on the Home page. These changes align with Google’s broader Gemini strategy for Home across display and speaker devices. The Verge. | UI change | Before | After |---|---|---| | Favorites tab | Favorites | Home |Bottom bar tabs | Devices and Settings present | Three icons; Devices accessed via grid in Home tab |Accessing Devices | via bottom bar | via a grid icon in the Home tab |

Key takeaways

• Gemini is expanding to the Google Home app with an explicit emphasis through an Ask Home interface.
• The Home app redesign centers Gemini and introduces a searchable voice/text experience for device control and history review.
• Navigation is simplified: Favorites renamed to Home, and Devices moved to a grid-access point within the Home tab.
• You can add air quality and temperature tiles as favorites; new icons indicate video and temperature features.
• Nest hardware may be launched soon, signaling deeper integration with Gemini across Google’s smart home hardware.

References

• The Verge