Google has announced the Home APIs to enable developers to create experiences for Google Home devices.
The Home APIs provide access to over 600 million devices, Matter devices and infrastructure, and a Google intelligence-powered automation engine.
“The home offers a unique opportunity for developers to create seamless and deeper relationships with users, but developing for the smart home is harder than it needs to be. Building for the smart home means integrations with many device makers, operating hubs and Matter fabrics, and operating automations engines driven by intelligent signals. Whether you build an app specifically for smart home devices or build apps that have nothing to do with the smart home – like a fitness app or delivery app – the Home APIs will let you create app experiences that offer your customers delightful and differentiated experiences on both Android and iOS,” Matt Van Der Staay, engineering director of Google Home, wrote in a blog post.
There are three main APIs part of this initial release: Commissioning, Device and Structure, and Automation.
The Commissioning API enables apps to set up Matter devices without having to create a Matter fabric.
The Device and Structure APIs give developers access to over 600 million Google devices in a single integration. This includes Matter devices connected to Google Home hubs, devices connected to Google Home via the Works With Google Home APIs, and devices made by Google, such as Nest Thermostats.
The Device API enables developers to get a list of devices, send control commands, read device state, or manage device properties.
The Structure API enables developers to get a list of rooms, add or remove rooms, change which devices are in a room, or change the name of a room.
And finally, the Automation API allows developers to create automations in their apps that can be triggered by over 100 device signals, such as motion sensing, mode changes from appliances, or media events on a smart TV. For example, an app could be created that turns on foyer lights when the front door is unlocked.
The waitlist for accessing the Home APIs is now open, and access will be expanded on a rolling basis. It’s expected that the first experiences built using the Home APIs will be available in Google Play starting in the fall.
“With the Home APIs, a workout app could keep you cool while you are burning calories by turning on the fan before you begin working out. Or a vacation rental app could make sure that the lights are on and the temperature is just right when a guest arrives,” Van Der Staay wrote.