Google Home APIs will let other apps deeply integrate with your smart home and Nest

Ben Schoon | May 15 2024 - 8:00 am PT

The Google Home app serves as a central hub to your smart home, and Google is now taking that further than ever before with the launch of Home APIs, which will let other apps and experiences tap into your smart home without additional setup.

There are literally countless apps that work with your smart home, but it can quickly become a mess trying to figure out which devices work where, what accounts you need to sign in with, and so on. That’s the goal of Home APIs, which allow developers to build on a user’s existing Google Home with other apps.

This starts with the ability to access devices “already connected to Google Home” through other apps. The APIs will let developers access devices from the Home app including a Nest Thermostat, Matter devices, and more. The user must grant the app access to their smart home, but this will allow deep integrations. One hypothetical example Google gives is the ability for a food delivery app to tap into lighting at the front door and turn on the lights when the delivery is nearby.

There will also be lots of automation at play. Apps will be able to look at sensors and other triggers to create automations, as well as using Google Home’s “Home” and “Away” location-based automations. Google says that Yale is using this to turn on lights in the home when the front door is unlocked at night.

Home APIs will also improve the ability for your TV to tie into the smart home. Select smart TVs will now be able to be used as hubs for Matter. Google says you’ll see this on Chromecast with Google TV, select Google TVs running Android 14 or higher, and also on select LG TVs. When that goes live, LG TVs will be able to control devices from the “Home Hub” as well. LG first announced Google integration in January.

Google also detailed some initial places where Home APIs will be used.

This includes Eve, which is bringing its smart home gear to Android for the first time with the help of Matter and Home APIs. Eve, in a press release, says that Home APIs will “turbo-charge” its app, which will be available whenever Home APIs are available. LG, as mentioned, will be using the APIs for TV and ThinQ app integration. Google Pixel will also be using Home APIs to control parts of your smart home, like lights and locks, when your phone enters Bedtime Mode.

ADT is also launching a new feature, “Trusted Neighbor,” which uses Home APIs to ” easily grant secure and temporary access to their homes for neighbors, friends or helpers.” The feature taps into Google Nest in some impressive ways.

There’s no word on when these new experiences will go live, but Google sees quite a future for Home APIs. The company envisions some theoretical use cases, saying:

With the Home APIs, a workout app could keep you cool while you are burning calories by turning on the fan before you begin working out. Or a vacation rental app could make sure that the lights are on and the temperature is just right when a guest arrives. With the Home APIs, now anyone can bridge digital experiences and physical devices.