Google Home can now use Nest speakers to detect your presence

Google Home no longer has to rely solely on smart home devices like thermostats to know whether you're there or not. Home's optional presence detection feature can now use interactions with Nest speakers and smart displays to help detect activity in your home, allowing it to perform automated actions. If you talk to your Nest Audio or tap your Nest Hub, for example, Google might know to turn on the lights. Second-generation Nest Hubs can also use their Soli radar sensor to know when you're nearby.

You can enable presence detection in the Google Home app for Android and iOS by visiting the Features section in Settings. Detection is strictly opt-in, and Google points out that ambient noise won't trigger presence cues. Cameras, doorbells and Nest Hub Max do not switch devices between "Home" and "Away" modes.

Google

The extension makes presence detection considerably more useful. Until now, you've needed a Nest Guard, Nest Protect, Nest Thermostat or Nest x Yale Smart Lock in tandem with your phone location. While these are often good indicators, they don't always tell the whole story - you may be locking the door while someone is still home. Using speakers and displays could make Google smart home automation more reliable, especially in unusual scenarios.

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