A new Home Controls screensaver turns the Pixel tablet into a smart home control panel.
A simpler way to manage your smart home.
The new Home Controls screensaver feature in Android 15 transforms devices such as tablets and phones into a control panel for smart homes. This innovative option allows users to manage devices with a single touch, eliminating the need to unlock the device or press a quick access button, resulting in a much more agile control of connected lights and cameras. Currently, this functionality is active on the Google Pixel Tablet and Pixel phones running Android 15, with availability expected on other devices in the near future.
The screensaver activates when the device is docked or connected to a charger. It works in conjunction with the Google Home app and displays the Favorites tab, which can be customized to show the most used devices, such as smart lights, thermostats, and security camera feeds. Additionally, this tab provides shortcuts to all cameras, lights, and climate control devices. In a recent test conducted on the Google Pixel Tablet, users were able to directly interact with the controls to turn off the lights or view a live feed from the camera. Although the Pixel Tablet has a quick access button to the same screen, this new feature simplifies the process, making it faster and more direct.
Google has integrated its Favorites tab across various devices, including Google TV, where a home control panel appears on the right side of the screen, as well as on Android phones and Pixel Watches, using a Favorites widget. These interfaces have been designed to facilitate the management of smart homes, which is undoubtedly beneficial.
The new Home Controls screensaver option represents a significant improvement for Google Home users. However, it is not limited solely to the Google Home app; according to an expert, it is possible to incorporate the Home Assistant panel as a screensaver on the Pixel Tablet. This process is relatively straightforward for other smart home applications, allowing users to share photos directly from the tablet’s digital frame.
In addition to this innovative feature, Android 15 brings other updates for the Pixel Tablet. Soon, users will be able to stream content from their Pixel Tablet to their Pixel phone simply by bringing the devices close together, making it easy for what is playing on Spotify or YouTube Music to transfer without needing to press the cast icon. Notification synchronization between the Pixel phone and the Pixel Tablet on the same Wi-Fi network will also be enabled. Additionally, the option to share photos from the digital frame on the tablet will be included, along with new clock designs to choose from.
