Google Pulls 'Call Home' Feature From Smart Devices

The 'Call Home' feature, a functionality that enabled users to directly call their Google Nest speakers and displays from their smartphones, has reportedly been removed by Google. Users have noticed the absence of the 'Call Home' button within the Google Home app, a feature that facilitated one-touch audio and video check-ins. This removal coincides with Google's ongoing integration of Gemini for Home, which is gradually replacing Google Assistant for smart home control.

While the 'Broadcast' feature, used for sending announcements through Google devices, also appears to be discontinued, users can still make announcements by requesting Gemini or Google Assistant. The transition to Gemini for Home has led to the deprecation of several previous Google Assistant features. For instance, Google removed seven smart home-oriented features in March and a total of 17 features early last year, including music alarms and stopwatch management.

These feature removals signal a significant shift in Google's smart home ecosystem as it streamlines services under the Gemini umbrella. The discontinuation of features like 'Call Home' and 'Broadcast' suggests a move towards a more unified, AI-driven interaction model, potentially prioritizing core functionalities over niche or legacy options as the platform evolves.