A new update to the Google Home app ensures that Wear OS 3 smartwatch owners can now view rich notifications from their enabled smart camera or video doorbell.
The long-awaited feature arrives as part of the Google Home Public Preview, with the company announcing in a blog post that the test of these notifications will be rolling out to devices like the Google Pixel Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.
Instead of simply receiving a text-based notification relating to a camera event, the new functionality will ensure that watch owners will now be able to see exactly who's at their door or around their property.
Unfortunately, the support still doesn't extend to the same kind of GIF or full video you would expect from your smartphone, but the move to a single still image should represent a big improvement, nonetheless.
There is another caveat to be aware of, however - the initial test will only include Google Nest cameras and doorbells released in 2021 or later.
Whether it expands to include other smart devices in the future is unknown, but, with the emergence of Matter - the new, unifying smart home standard - we'd expect notifications to continue undergoing improvement.
Given the Google Home app for Wear OS 3 already includes the ability to control smart devices such as lights and thermostats, as well, this would refine an already-great integration.
And with Google I/O coming up in May, it's possible the full rollout of these new notifications will arrive around the same time.
And, hey, maybe we'll even be treated to a first look at the Google Pixel Watch 2.
The Nest Community post also highlights the ability to rearrange the "Favorites" tab in the Google Home public preview app for smartphones. This way, users can quickly get to the cameras and devices they need quick access to without digging through the app.
This could come in handy, especially after Google quietly integrated additional cameras and improved the support of other smart home devices on its Home app. Camera brands like Reolink and Wyze join the fray, with users finding better controls for ovens, shutters, and curtains.
The Google Home Team finished by stating there is still more to come and that users should expect "big news in the coming weeks." It's not quite clear what this could entail, exactly. However, the company could be gearing up to push its total Home redesign to the public, or maybe there's something else coming, as Google I/O 2023 is only weeks away.
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Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.
Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides.
He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror.