Google Home app update makes Speaker Group volume controls much worse
Earlier this week, Google washanded a big blow in its legal tussle with Sonosover patent infringement. The US International Trade Commission found the company guilty of violating Sonos' IP. Due to this, Google was forced to remove unified Speaker Group volume controls. Going forward, users will have to adjust each speaker’s sound level individually, with the option of controlling it using the phone’s volume buttons completely removed. A new Google Home app update (v2.47.79.5) is now out with the regressions in tow.
Pressing the volume rocker while on the Media screen in the latest Google Home app will adjust your phone’s volume. Previously, the same action changed the sound level of a speaker or an entire speaker group. You mustnow adjust the speaker output using the virtual sliderin the Home app.
I am used to tapping the Cast playback notification on my phone’s notification shade to get to the speaker playback volume. Admittedly, this change makes that process more frustrating, as controlling the volume is no longer as seamless. What was previously a two-tap process will now require my attention and fiddling around with a virtual slider, especially when controlling a speaker group.
You can avoid this change for now by ensuring you don’t install the latest Google Home update. However, this workaround is likely going to be temporary. While it is currently possible to control the full Speaker Group volume directly from your Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max, that functionality will also be pulled in the near future. As stated by Google, Speaker Groups will continue functioning, barring these annoying changes. Some third-party speakers with Cast support from JBL or Lenovo will have to be updated to a new firmware version to retain full functionality, though. You can read more about the Sonos vs. Google tiff and what theITC decision means for future Google devices in our FAQ.
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