Full local control is coming to Matter devices on Google Home hubs

Full local control of Matter devices is rolling out to the Google Home ecosystem. This takes care of a rare, but important, pain point for smart home users — losing internet access. It may not happen often, but more than once is enough to throw a smart home into complete disarray.

Now Nest hubs, speakers, Chromecasts, and Google TV devices running Android 14 and above can control Matter devices direcly, bypassing the need for an internet connection (via The Verge). It’s part of Google’s broader integration of Home Runtime into its smart home platform. Users can expect faster response times and better privacy when controlling their smart home devices.

A big step for smart home reliability

Google Home primarily relied on cloud connectivity for device commands, until now. This meant any disruption in internet service could affect even their most basic functions. Worse still, some devices could find themselves requiring a complete reset following an internet outage. While this may be a pain but not life threatening when it comes to smart TVs and light bulbs, it could mean serious trouble for security cameras and doorbell cameras.

Local control changes all that. Commands for lighting, thermostats, and other Matter-compatible devices will execute directly through supported hubs, much like Apple’s HomeKit, which already emphasizes local processing. The new changes were confirmed by Google Home product manager Jeannie Zhang, who promises to bring more stability and responsiveness to users’ smart home setups.

Better developer access to Google Home APIs

Google is also expanding access to its Home APIs. These were previously limited to select partners. The APIs are now in public developer beta for Android apps, with an iOS version expected soon.

These APIs include:

• Device structure APIs — access to 600M devices, managing both cloud and Matter connections.
• Commissioning API — fast pair for Matter devices.
• Automation API — tools for creating automations and personalized home experiences directly within third-party apps.

All of this means companies should be able to integrate their products more easily with the Google Home ecosystem. Matter’s adoption looks like it might finally be coming along, and maybe our smart homes will actually become a little easier to manage, if not smarter.

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