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What you need to know

• A dive into a “test version” of the Google Home app revealed several strings pointing to CO/smoke detector support.

• Various alert strings with code details for users about hazardous air quality in their home and sensor testing.

• More devices have been added to Google Home since Matter support arrived, but its Nest app was the only way to control its CO/smoke sensors.

Google may have plans to incorporate new sensors to protect users from dangerous home air conditions.

It looks like Google is developing new sensor support for the Home app, after some deep research by AssembleDebug (Android Authority). According to the whistleblower, various strings in a “test version” of Google Home suggest that the app will implement support for CO (carbon monoxide) and smoke detectors.

It looks like this support will be joined by a series of new alerts delivered to a user’s phone. The code showed warning signs informing users if “smoke levels are too high”. Additional alerts were discovered, informing users of dangerous levels of CO and smoke detected by the sensor and to get out of the house into “fresh air”.

The Home app will apparently allow users to test their sensors to make sure its functionality is ready.

More importantly, the publication notes the existence of smoke and CO sensors created by Google under the name “Nest”. However, consumers with them can only use their functions through the Nest app. It is speculated that the app’s hidden code could point to future integration between the Nest app and Google Home. If true, that would eliminate the need for this additional app and bring everything under the Home app roof.

Consumers are no doubt familiar with the term “Matter,” the industry’s new connectivity standard for connecting smart home devices. In 2022, Google hopped on the Matter train with the Home app rolled support for Home Mini, Hub Max, Wifi Pro and Nest Audio. The company then expanded support for more smart home devices and brands.

It is not specifically mentioned that these air quality sensors will be packaged in the Matter standard, but it is possible. The Upgrade to Matter 1.2 includes support for smoke and CO detectors because CSA has excelled at reducing the amount of app “hubs” consumers need to control their devices. Google is likely to include the potential of its smoke and CO sensors in the Home app — not in a separate Nest app — will continue the “centralized hub” idea.

Unfortunately, without more concrete evidence, it’s unclear if/when Google will release this. The post wonders if the company has a “future Nest Protect” in the works for this support, but that’s just speculation for now.