Faster and less talkative
You will notice one of the most important changes immediately: Gemini responds faster to simple commands, such as controlling smart devices. According to Google, the response time for such tasks has improved by about 40 per cent.
In addition, responses have become shorter. Where previously the assistant used full sentences, you now get more direct responses. For example, when setting an alarm: instead of a long confirmation, you simply hear that the alarm has been set. Responses to calendars, notes and lists are also more compact, giving you the information you need faster.
Smarter timers and calendars
The update also brings improvements for alarms and timers. You can now combine multiple commands in one sentence, such as cancelling a timer and immediately setting a new one. In addition, you can ask for both the original set time and the remaining time of a timer.
Recurring alarms are also easier to create, for example for weekdays. Furthermore, Gemini can link alarms to events, such as a sports match. In terms of productivity, you can now more easily create multiple similar calendar appointments, for example by having an existing appointment repeated on another day.
Better context and local information
Gemini is also getting better at understanding context. The assistant can give more relevant answers based on your previous questions and takes your location into account better. For instance, weather information and local news are more accurately tailored to your area.
The translation function within Gemini Live has also been improved. Translations are faster and now support around 30 languages, including Dutch. This makes it easier to have conversations in different languages via the assistant.
More features for your smart home
Besides the voice assistant itself, the Google Home app also gets new features. For instance, you can set up automations more extensively with additional conditions and actions. Think scenarios where an action is triggered as soon as a device reaches a certain state, such as an oven turning on or off.
There are also new options for smart lighting. For example, you can set lamps to automatically turn on, pulse or activate a sleep or wake-up effect at specific times.
Rolling out to more countries
The update is being rolled out to several countries, including the Netherlands. In addition, several features, such as camera capabilities and AI tools within Google Home, will become available in more regions.
