Google Now Lets You Control Your Home on Pixel Without Home

News of Google’s Amazon Echo smart home competitor first surfaced in May last year – before its eventual release in the autumn. Google Home is powered by Google’s AI helper, Assistant. Despite this, Google’s smartphone line Pixel – although boasting Assistant – did not enable users to control their connected home devices through the feature. But this has all changed.

As first discovered by Android Police, a ‘Home control’ section has begun showing up on Pixel devices. Inside this section, users can add devices – such as Nest, Hue, Honeywell, and more – create rooms, and assign devices to each room. Following this, issuing commands to each device works the same as it does on Home.

It is unclear which software setups are able to run the new feature but Android Police report that running a Pixel with the Android 7.1.2 beta, Google app 6.12.19, and Play Services 10.2.98, is one configuration that has the feature enabled. Furthermore, there is no word on whether there is a plan to roll out Assistant, and in turn the ‘Home control’ section, to the rest of the Android family.