Google Home Unlocks Smart Button Automation Support
Google Home has officially rolled out support for smart buttons, significantly expanding automation possibilities for users. This new functionality, introduced in a February 2 update, adds "Switch or button pressed" as a crucial new starter condition for automations within the platform.
What Are Smart Buttons?
Smart buttons are physical, programmable switches engineered to trigger various smart home automations or directly control devices such as lights, window shades, or robot vacuums. They offer a convenient alternative to voice commands and app-based control, typically featuring wireless connectivity and the ability to execute multiple actions based on single, double, or long presses.
Industry Context and Matter Standard
Most major smart home platforms, including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, and Home Assistant, have long supported smart buttons. The advent of the Matter interoperability standard has further streamlined the integration of these devices, referring to them broadly as generic switches.
Google Home's New Automation Capabilities
Previously, Google Home notably lacked this specific functionality. The latest update within the Google Home app now features "Switch or button is pressed" as a starter condition, accommodating single presses, multi-presses, long presses, and even long press release conditions.
The new support within the Google Home app includes 'Switch or button is pressed' as a starter, allowing for single, multi-press, long press, and long press release conditions.
It's worth noting that while accessible in the app, this feature is not yet available via Ask Home or Help Me Create, Google's Gemini for Home-powered automation features.
Driving Forces: Matter and Ikea's Impact
The timing of this update is likely influenced by the recent release of Ikea’s new Matter-over-Thread devices, which include the notably affordable $6 Bilresa wireless button. Historically, smart buttons have remained a niche product due to their higher costs (typically $20-$50) and reliance on proprietary ecosystems or hub-based protocols like Zigbee or Z-Wave. The Matter standard eliminates the need for a dedicated hub, and Ikea's low-cost options are anticipated to significantly broaden the adoption of smart buttons among consumers.
Additional Automation Enhancements
Beyond button support, Google’s latest update delivers several other key automation improvements. Users can now set automations to run when a robot vacuum is docked, when humidity reaches a specific level, and when a device’s battery or binary state changes (e.g., open/closed, contact/no contact, leak/no leak).
Crucial Bug Fix Delivered
Finally, the February 2 release also incorporates a "foundational fix" addressing a recurring “Video not available” error that users encountered in the Google Home app during video playback.