What you need to know
- Google detailed the arrival of the Home app's v3.33 update on Android, which finally corrects a major user frustration.
- The Home app's camera timeline is now much smoother when scrubbing through, and Google says users should see less freezing and loading times.
- The update also brings several bug fixes for users.
Smart home enjoyers, Google's rolling out an update today (June 16) to get your week off on the right foot.
The company started off by saying this update was largely due to a wealth of user feedback concerning the Home app's camera timeline. In a community update, Google states v3.33 of the app is rolling out now on Android and will address the laggy and, at times, low FPS experience that its camera timeline previously suffered. Specifically, Google says v3.33 "substantially improved" the framerate and loading performance for users.
Now, users scrolling through the camera timeline to view old events should find an easier, smoother time. The improvements made to scrubbing through the video's timeline should make it easier for users to spot anything of importance, as the old laggy experience might've made this difficult.
Google adds that this update cuts down on timeline loading times and "frozen" moments.
The Home app update also brings a "limited access member tier." In short, homeowners can "invite" people into their smart home ecosystem at a "level" that works for them. You can decide what others can see, do, or set, such as automations, and more.
Continued (Smart) Home Improvement
The company's fully detailed patch notes for v3.33 include the following bug fixes. Those with iOS devices will see these updates and fixes "in a future" update.
- Automations tab crash: Fixed a crash when switching to the Automations tab on certain iOS devices
- Wi-Fi category crash: Fixed a crash when entering the Wi-Fi category
- Climate category crash: Fixed a crash when entering the Climate category
- Notifications crash: Fixed a crash when interacting with notification permissions
- Invite limits error: Fixed an issue where an error appeared when inviting a 5th household member, even when under the member limit
- Device settings: Fixed an issue where some users couldn’t access service settings for some device types
During I/O 2025 last month, Google had a little in store for its smart home environment, which involved a "summaries" test and Gemini. The company kick-started a limited test for its "Home Summary" widget. The widget delivers a quick roundup of happenings around your home while you were away. The app will state if a package was delivered, if a smart device's routine started, and any automated changes to your thermostat.
A small group of Pixel users were brought into this test ahead of its release (whenever Google's done).
On the other hand, Gemini was brought into the app to give users strong routine creation capabilities. Users can chat with Gemini, so it can create an automated routine for your devices based on your needs.
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