The new shortcuts for quick controls highlight a few options, but it looks like Google will only allow access to them on Android 11 with an update to the Google Home app.
A new version of Google Home, version 2.23.1.8, which started to be released this week, includes everything needed to activate these new quick controls.
If you are running a developer version of Android 11, such as Developer Preview 4, you will already have access to these controls.
When you install the new version and press the power button on a Google Pixel device for example, the new controls immediately appear. You will see the initial configuration below, where the quick access to devices registered in Google Home is displayed.
Obviously, you must have smart devices registered with Google Home for them to appear.
The Google Home app seemingly already supports Android 11's device Controls API!
CC @Quinny898 https://t.co/gwpFZMwqxj
And it is from these quick controls that you will be able to access lamps, cameras and any and all smart devices that you have in your home. The new smart device quick access menu even allows you to edit and add devices so you have quick access to them.
The integration is welcome for those who already use the Google ecosystem and already have connected devices at home. The smartphone basically becomes a universal remote, bringing everything in one place.
It's unclear whether quick controls for smart devices controlled via Google Home directly from the smartphone's power button will see any changes when their respective distributions are released.
This means that on a Pixel device, you will see the controls as they appear here. But on a device from Samsung, LG, Motorola, Asus, Xiaomi and etc, we still don't know how these controls will be displayed.
