Google’s Home app on iOS has been pretty stagnant over the past few years while the company has been adding features to the service and its products. Luckily, Google has committed to giving the app a pretty big overhaul in the upcoming weeks. This overhaul should change the primary grid you use to interact with your devices.
You are presented with a grid divided into different sections upon opening the current Google Home app. The top area has quick settings to manage your house or get into a specific smart home section. For example, there’s a light section where you can see and control all your home’s lights or a routines section to add or edit routines. The subsequent sections are your home’s separate rooms and their devices.
The new app update will bring the iOS app closer to the way the Android 11+ app looks and functions. Instead of having large icons to identify each device and you tapping them to change values (i.e., brightness, volumes, etc.), the icons will be new interactable tiles. You’ll still be able to control simple on/off commands by a quick tap of the tile, but you will also be able to change those values by sliding left and right. Next, you can long-press the tiles to get full device controls; for example, for a multi-colored light, you can change the hues and saturation levels. Lastly, the background of the tiles will quickly convey the state of the device; dimmed means the device is off, while light means the device is on.
Google seems to be changing the design language for a couple of reasons. First, we get to have feature and design parity between the two operating systems. Secondly, it claims to want users to “quickly find what you’re looking for, dim your compatible lights, and change the music volume in a snap.”
Check the version if you’re looking to see if your app has the new design and update. Google states that the version number for the new update is 2.49. Unfortunately, the update will still take a few weeks, so now all that is left is to be patient and wait. Download or update the Google Home app from the App Store here.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.