Google Home app updated with emergency calling facility, set to be available on Nest Aware

The new feature will enable Google Nest owners to enter their address which is used when calling emergency services such as 911

Google prepares emergency calling details for Nest Aware (Bloomberg)

The Google Home app has been getting new updates to better support Nest devices and now the app is getting ready to assist emergency calling details on smart speakers.

Spotted by Jane Wong on Twitter, there is a setting buried within the Google Home app, which is not yet live for public. And, this new setting enables Google Nest owners to enter their address which is used when calling emergency services such as 911, 9To5Google reported on Saturday.

Historically, Google has blocked unexpected emergency contacting as a result of Assistant speakers, but that will modify with the new Nest Aware plans.

As per report, these new plans lower the cost of supporting Nest cameras throughout a home as well as adding support for more new features. One of those features is the ability to call emergency services.

 

Google Home app is working on supporting emergency calling services pic.twitter.com/JGgbXFSslx

— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) March 14, 2020

In case a speaker or display picks up a smoke alarm sound and sends an alert on users phone, now with Nest Aware the Home app will allow the user to call the 911 emergency services closest to home, even if the user is far away.

If a user just dials 911 directly from their phone when he/she is away, the user might get connected to a call centre that can't dispatch to where the user lives.

Meanwhile, if the user happens to be home and cannot get to the phone right away, say, "OK Google, call 9-1-1" to any Google Nest or Home speaker or display covered by Nest Aware subscription.

Currently, it is not known when Google plans to make these new Nest Aware subscriptions and, by extension, emergency calling.