The Google Home app has seen quite a few major improvements in the past several months, and the app is now expanding its support for cameras by adding streaming support for more camera models and brands.
Within the Home app Google has long supported a “cameras” page that shows live camera previews, but it’s always been quite limited. The only cameras that have ever worked fully through the Home app are Google’s newer Nest cameras, the models released after 2021 and work exclusively in the Home app. Older Nest cameras also work well within the Home app, but don’t deliver notifications or allow for control over settings – this is coming, though.
Beyond that, the Google Home app also supports cameras from Arlo, with those cameras having shown their live feeds in the app for a couple of years now, as well as supporting “voice notifications” which can have Assistant speakers audibly announce when people or motion is detected by a camera.
Some other brands that have been supported in the past include select cameras from D-Link and Lorex, but it’s rare to see this sort of integration.
But as of April 2023, it seems Google has been quietly expanding what cameras can stream their live feeds to the Home app. We’ve seen that Reolink is now supported across more models. Some users have noted this integration in the past on select cameras, but only a few options. We’re now seeing integration on a model that previously did not offer support.
Further, we’re also seeing at least the foundation of TP-Link Kasa cameras adding support. We tested a TP-Link KC200 (which has been replaced with a new model) and a TP-Link EC70 and both appear within the Home app’s unified camera feed, but don’t actually load a live view. Both do show support for “voice notifications” like Arlo’s cameras, though.
One 9to5Google reader also noticed that Wyze cameras were appearing in the Home app back in December, and there have now been multiple reports on Reddit of the same functionality appearing for more Wyze owners.
Reports are still a bit limited, but other brands appearing for at least some users include Yi, Tellur, Tuya, Xiaomi, and Nooie.
Google doesn’t appear to have any official documentation on this change, but it’s certainly a welcome update.
More on Google Home:
- Google Home testing redesign for ‘Device controls’ on lockscreen
- Hands on: SwitchBot Hub 2 adds temperature and SwitchBot gear to Google Home thanks to Matter
- Google Home 2.66 tweaks Wifi overview page
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments