Google Home users noticed recently that a useful feature had suddenly vanished from the interface of the Google Home app. First introduced in 2019, Google’s “Call Home” feature added support to directly call Google Home devices like the Nest Hub Max, allowing users to reach out to their home devices easily right from the app.
However, Google Home users over on Reddit noticed a couple of months ago that the feature seemed to have vanished from the app following recent updates. Even more reports started cropping up recently, too, with 9to5Google further corroborating the feature removal by digging through the app.
While the feature wasn’t especially well known, it was useful. Some parents have even noted that it was the primary way they contacted their children at home, as it didn’t require another device to be present in the home beyond their Google Home devices. Some even used it as a way to broadcast messages to their family throughout the house, making it easy to keep up with everyone.
An ongoing issue for Google users
This change comes right on the heels of Google’s Gemini push in Google Home as it works to turn the AI assistant into a true Google Assistant replacement. For anyone that followed Assistant’s downfall, you’ve likely become used to Google removing features as time goes on, with those features likely expected to return with the arrival of Gemini sometime in the future. Well, the AI-powered changes have already started rolling out to users, but we’re still seeing useful features removed.
What’s more frustrating for users about this recent change, though, is that Google continues to remove useful features without any warning. One user on Reddit noted that they had were trying to be patient because of how much they’d invested in their smart home setup using Google. However, they did note that the “last straw” for them was when Google continued to remove features they used for no apparent reason, even pointing toward specific features like the ability to trigger automations using NFC tags.
Of course, whether or not the feature could make a comeback at any point is unclear. For now, it seems Google has removed it entirely, with the latest update officially pulling it out of the app for even more users. It might not have been the most popular feature, but those who did use it are definitely going to miss it.
