Google Home for web gets long-requested features in major update

The Google Nest team is pushing out a significant update to Google Home for web. The update brings a number of long-awaited features to the service.

Today, Google announced it’s giving a big boost to its camera experience for Nest cameras and doorbells. This update directly addresses user requests by incorporating features like event and timeline history, clip downloads, custom clip creation tools, and picture-in-picture support for live camera views.

The update coincides with Google Home for web being made available for the general public, giving users a more feature-rich experience right off the bat.

The company states that users can now access their camera history directly from their web browser, search for specific events by date and time, and download clips for easy sharing. Google is also introducing a new custom clip creation tool that allows users to create personalized video snippets from their camera history by selecting a start time and adjusting the duration with a slider.

Public Preview program

Google Home for web now also offers Public Preview enrollment, allowing users to try out upcoming features before a wider release. Users can opt-in via the Google Home app or through the web interface. This program offers several intriguing features to try out, including a Script Editor for Home Automation — which allows users to view, create, edit, or deactivate scripted routines for their smart home directly from their browsers.

Nest Aware subscribers can leverage another perk in the Public Preview program, termed Garage door detection. With compatible wired Nest Cams, Nest Aware subscribers can receive alerts if they accidentally leave their garage door open. This feature is said to use AI-powered image detection and on-device intelligence to eliminate the need for additional hardware or sensors.

Finally, the Public Preview program extends to first-generation Nest Cam Indoor or Outdoor owners. These users can transfer their devices to the Google Home app to experience the new camera history features on both the app and Google Home web.

The custom clips update is rolling out over the next few weeks and will be compatible with a wide range of Nest cameras and doorbells. This includes Nest Cam (indoor, wired, 2nd gen), Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery), Nest Cam with Floodlight, Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen), Nest Doorbell (battery), and even first-generation Nest Cam Indoor and Outdoor models once transferred to the Home app.