TL;DR<\/p>\n
Google Home users can now ask Gemini to set lights to \u201cthe color of the ocean\u201d or preheat a smart oven to a specific temperature, as Google rolls out natural-language controls across its smart home platform. Rolling out since April 2, the updates mark the third round of monthly improvements since Google began transitioning from the old Google Assistant to its Gemini AI assistant on Home devices<\/a>. Persistent user complaints that Gemini lagged behind the old Assistant for basic smart home tasks drove much of the overhaul.<\/p>\n Smarter Controls From Lighting to Climate<\/strong> <\/p>\n Expressive Lighting stands out as the headline feature, letting users describe their desired ambiance in conversational terms rather than selecting from a fixed color palette. Google Home Chief Product Officer Anish Kattukaran outlined the capability on X<\/a>:<\/p>\n We\u2019ve also significantly upgraded how Gemini understands and controls your devices to make interactions feel much more natural. My favorite example is Expressive Lighting: you no longer need exact color names. Just ask for \u201cthe color of the ocean\u201d and Gemini handles the rest.\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Anish Kattukaran (@AnishKattukaran) March 31, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Alongside lighting, the update introduces Precision Appliance Controls<\/a> that accept specific numerical values. Users can now say \u201cpreheat the smart oven to 350 degrees\u201d or set exact humidity levels on compatible devices, commands that previously required workarounds or manual adjustments.<\/p>\n Advanced Climate Management adds support for holding temperature presets and clearing active thermostat modes with a single command. Users can now say \u201cunset heating on the thermostats\u201d rather than cycling through each mode individually, a common pain point for homes with multiple climate zones.<\/p>\n Google has also improved Gemini\u2019s ability to identify devices<\/a>, with the official release notes stating: \u201cWe\u2019ve fine-tuned how Gemini identifies your devices. It is now much better at distinguishing between a \u2018lamp\u2019 and a \u2018light,\u2019 processing requests faster.\u201d Fewer misidentified commands should reduce friction across all connected devices.<\/p>\n Spanish Support, Kids Access, and Gemini Live<\/strong> <\/p>\n Gemini for Home now extends to Spanish-speaking users, with early access live in Mexico and support for Spanish speakers in the US and Canada. Kattukaran announced the expansion on X, writing: \u201cHola, Mexico! We\u2019re officially welcoming users in Mexico and adding Spanish to supported languages, available in all supported countries.\u201d Users need Google Home version 4.12 or later to access the new language option.<\/p>\n Kids with supervised Google accounts can now access Gemini for Home alongside the rest of the family, allowing children to ask questions, request jokes, or get help with spelling through the smart assistant.<\/p>\n Gemini Live, Google\u2019s conversational AI<\/a> feature for smart speakers and displays, also receives deeper and more interactive news summaries. Users can ask \u201cwhat\u2019s the latest news?\u201d or \u201ccatch me up on tech news\u201d during a Live conversation and follow up with questions to explore specific stories. Nest Mini, Nest Hub Max, Nest Audio, and second-generation Nest Hub devices all support Gemini Live through Google Home Premium.<\/p>\n Closing the Assistant Gap<\/strong> <\/p>\n April\u2019s update follows two earlier rounds of improvements in March 2026. A March 2 update brought device targeting improvements and Live Search for cameras<\/a>, while a March 17 update delivered a 40% latency improvement and added Canadian French support. Three consecutive monthly updates underscore Google\u2019s urgency in closing the functionality gap between Gemini and the old Assistant, which many users found more reliable for routine smart home control.<\/p>\n Google\u2019s update pace reflects a broader challenge the company has been managing since the platform launched in October 2025. At that stage, Gemini lagged the old Assistant on core smart home tasks, a gap that prompted Google to delay the full Assistant sunset into 2026<\/a> rather than push users onto an unfinished platform. April\u2019s improvements suggest Google is now making steady, if incremental, progress toward feature parity.<\/p>\n \n