Chromecast with Google TV will soon act as a Google Home hub

Ben Schoon | May 15 2024 - 1:15 pm PT

The smart home is getting another boost, as Google has announced the “Home runtime” will allow more TVs, including Chromecast with Google TV, act as a hub for Matter devices in Google Home.

Google made two key announcements around the smart home today. The first is Home APIs, a new set of tools that will allow apps to tap into your Google Home setup and bring new functionality, such as a new “Trusted Neighbor” feature that ADT is working on.

The other is “Home runtime,” a feature that will allow devices to act as hubs for Google Home.

Google says that Home runtime will let a piece of hardware help extend control of your smart home. It will do this by enabling remote access through APIs as well as adding a point where Matter devices can be controlled locally with low-latency. This is similar to the existing functionality that uses Nest devices as Matter hubs, but it will apparently work with apps using Home APIs.

Among the devices that will be supported as hubs will be televisions. Google says that “select” Google TVs running Android 14 or higher will support being a hub. This includes panel TVs (such as those sold by TCL, Sony, and others) as well as the Chromecast with Google TV. Google says that will happen “later this year,” implying the Chromecast might get Android 14 in the months to come. Some LG TVs will also support runtime.

The Home APIs leverage the network of hubs for Google Home for local and remote control of Matter devices. Later this year, we’re upgrading our hubs and introducing the Home runtime, so other devices, including Chromecast with Google TV, select panel TVs with Google TV running Android 14 or higher and eligible LG brand TVs will also become hubs for Google Home.

It doesn’t sound like this will allow users to actually control their smart home from Google TV (outside of Assistant), sadly, but it could make your TV a much more important part of the home.