Google upgrades Gemini for Home with better Spotify, lighting and broadcast controls – but people still aren’t happy

Google has just updated Gemini for Home with some crucial fixes that users have been asking for – yet some people still aren’t happy.

Many of Gemini for Home’s updates are in early access, and are for its voice assistant, which is available on the Google Home Speaker. The first improvement is for Spotify media selection, which has been improved to better recognise songs, playlists and artists.

Previously, Gemini for Home has found it difficult to understand specific commands for personal playlists, but this update means your listening experience should be smoother and with less faults. This also includes playing liked songs via Spotify, although Google states that ‘Personal Results’ will need to be enabled for this.

Next up is smart lighting adjustments and precision. With this new update, you can now use your voice to adjust your smart light to specific colour temperatures. For example, you can now ask Google requests like “Hey Google, make the living room lights 2700 kelvins” and this should change the lights to suit your preferences.

Another new update is for message broadcasting which Google states has now been made easier. Previously, broadcasting messages needed to be done in one long request which could be hard for Gemini for Home to follow, and often lead to miscommunication.

Now, message broadcasting is done in two parts. First, you’ll need to say “OK Google, broadcast message” and then you can follow up with what message you want it to say.

Google has also released updates to the Google Home app which improves controls for smart locks, temperature units and cameras. For smart locks, if you have a compatible European-style smart lock, you can now independently control latching and locking features.

For temperature control, the Google Home app, voice commands and Nest devices will now match your preferred unit of measurement, like Celsius or Fahrenheit. Google has also fixed Fahrenheit temperature rounding for iOS, as previously, half-degrees were rounded down on thermostat screens.

Security camera users have also received some handy updates, including less app crashes and clearer offline controls for iOS. For Android users, Google has fixed its live camera feeds which previously got stuck at a lower resolution. Now, live streams should be in full HD.

Despite these upgrades, many users are still unhappy as they feel that Google is ignoring some key issues with Gemini for Home. Google Home users have reported that the transition to Gemini has been hard, and have noted that simple functions like setting alarms and turning off lights have been harder than before.