Google is redesigning the user experience on its smart displays, including a new visual layout featuring pages for useful functions.
The new pages – including a Your Morning/Afternoon/Evening page that changes during the day; a Media page that can recommend videos from services such as Netflix and Disney+; a Communicate page for functions such as Meet, Duo, Zoom, and broadcasting; and a Home Control page for managing connected devices – are designed to make the day go more smoothly, according to Jack Krawczyk, Director, Product Management at Google.
“Every day, people ask Google for help with things like catching up on their favourite shows, turning on their garage lights, filling their homes with relaxing music, playing games and even keeping their family on track.
“As we expect more of our smart home devices, Smart Displays are increasingly becoming a hub that entertains and connects the whole home and whole family, all day (and night) long,” he said.
Users will also be able to set up multiple accounts on the same device, to avoid having to switch between home and work functionality.
“For example, on your Google Nest Hub Max, you can now quickly tap or ask to join your next meeting (‘Hey Google, join my next meeting’), whether it’s a personal yoga class or a conference call.
“This is now supported on Assistant-enabled devices where you can access your Calendar, like phones (Android and iOS), shared devices such as smart speakers and Smart Displays, and for Google Workspace users enrolled in the Google Assistant Beta Program,” said Krawczyk.
Other functions will include auto-framing to keep users centred on video calls, a dark theme which can be toggled manually or automatically at certain times of the day, and a “Sunrise Alarm” that gradually brightens the display half an hour before the alarm goes off to help users wake up naturally.
