It's been a long journey, but the end is finally in sight. Google announced "Routines" for Assistant six months ago at the October 4th Made by Google event. There have been very few updates on when to expect the feature to arrive on devices. Last month, it sounded like Routines were finally on the verge of rolling out, but several weeks have passed since then. After months of anticipation, Routines are finally showing up in the Google Home app.
To refresh your memory, Routines are a way to execute several Google Assistant commands at once with one single phrase. The common example is something like "Ok Google, good morning." This Routine could turn on the lights in your bedroom, start the coffee machine, and play a playlist on Spotify. "Ok Google, goodnight" could turn off the lights, turn off the TV, and put your phone in silent mode. The only limitation is your imagination and Google Assistant capabilities.
The Google Home app includes 6 customizable phrases by default: good morning, bedtime, leaving home, I'm home, commuting to work, and commuting home. These Routines have a limited number of actions that can be performed. Here's what you can do with the "Good Morning" Routine:
- take your phone off silent (only if initiated via an Android device) and adjust the media volume
- adjust lights, plugs, thermostats, and more
- tell you today's weather, commute, calendar, reminders
- play music or news or radio or podcasts (where you left off) or audiobooks (where you left off)
Unfortunately, it's not possible to create your own. The "Good Morning" Routine is replacing the "My Day" feature. Routines are showing up now in the Google Home app under "More Settings." An app update is not required. Go forth and automate!
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