Gemini for Home Update Fixes Silent Alarms and Phantom Error Replies

Google has rolled out a late-October update for Gemini for Home and the Google Home app that fixes several irritating bugs, including alarms and timers that could end up with the volume turned all the way down. The company described the changes in a long changelog published on Oct. 29. Gemini for Home is still in early access, so many of these fixes matter most to people already testing it.

What got fixed in Gemini for Home

According to the patch notes, the headline fix is for a bug in which Gemini answered with “Sorry, I didn’t understand” even when the user had not said anything. Android Central reports that the problem affected both smart displays and speakers.

Other changes in the list:

• Zero-volume alarms and timers: in some cases a user would set an alarm and its volume would drop to zero, so it would never be heard. Google says a fix is rolling out.
• Cross-room volume requests: asking to change the volume on a speaker or display in another room could accidentally change the volume on the device you were talking to if the other device could not be found. Google says that is fixed.
• Moving music between rooms: Gemini should now better understand when you ask it to switch music to a device in another room.
• YouTube TV: Google says commands will be more reliable, so content should play as requested.

Changes in the Google Home app

The Home app also gets updates, starting with Matter, the smart home standard that lets devices from different brands work together. On Android, people can now view energy data for supported Matter products. Google says compatible plugs and energy monitors will soon show both real-time power (in milliwatts) and total energy used (in kilowatt-hours) on their device tiles and controller screens.

• You can quickly put devices into power-saving modes from the app.
• Matter devices on Android get improved icons and controls.
• The app will organize devices by type, such as garage doors, gates, windows, blinds and cabinets.
• Google Home Premium subscribers can find their benefits by tapping Profile, then Google Home Premium, then Features, where they can also turn them on.

The changelog also covers extensive updates for smart home cameras, though the report does not go into detail on them.

Why it matters

None of these changes is flashy, but several address problems that make a voice assistant hard to trust. An alarm that rings at zero volume defeats its purpose, and an assistant that replies with an error when you have said nothing is simply annoying. For people with Matter plugs, seeing live power use and total energy on the same screen they use to control the device is a practical addition, since it helps show which devices use the most electricity.

Because the update is rolling out gradually, you may not see every item right away. Updates to Gemini for Home and the Home app arrive in stages, and Google’s report says the company is still working through issues in this early-access product.

A long road of fixes

This is not the first patch aimed at Gemini’s smart home behavior. Android Central notes that an earlier update quickened the assistant’s responses by 40 percent, according to Google. In a patch in April, Google said Gemini could understand “casual phrases and context better,” so people would not need exact commands.

What to do now

• Check that the Google Home app and your speakers and displays are up to date.
• If you rely on alarms, test one at a normal volume after the update.
• If you use Matter plugs on Android, look for the new energy readings on device tiles, which Google says will appear soon.

What is still unknown

The source does not say exactly when each fix will reach every user, or whether the changes apply equally to all devices. Gemini for Home remains in early access, so more patches are likely to follow.

Source: Android Central