Google Home is an intelligent speaker powered by Google Assistant, and it is giving tough competition to other voice enabled speakers like Amazon Echo line and HomePod from Apple. Apart from other routine tasks like controlling your smart home devices, Google Home and Google Home Mini offers you a calling feature. Like Echo devices of Amazon, you can setup Google home to make calls.
Before you use your Google Home or Google Home Mini to make phone call, you need to check that the device is running the latest firmware version 1.26.93937. You can check this version by launching Google Home app → Tap on Device icon from upper right corner → head over to Google Home settings. Let’s check now how to make phone calls with Google Voice.
How to Make Calls with Google Home and Google Home Mini
Once your Google Home is updated to the latest firmware version, you can easily make phone calls; simply use command: ‘OK Google, call my wife’ or ‘Hey Google, call wife’.
If you can remember phone numbers (which is a tough task), you can speak those numbers loud and Google Home will dial the number. For example, you can say, “Ok Google, call 122-321-9876.
Many new users fail to use this calling feature on Google Home simply because they have not set up Google Home. So, first you need to set up your Google Home to explore its features. Start with downloading Google Home app for your Android or iOS device.
Note that calling feature in Google Home is available in the United States and Canada; it is likely to be rolled out soon in the UK, France, Germany, and Australia.
How does Google Home call your contacts?
If you have saved your contacts in Google Contacts, your Google Home will fetch those contacts and use them for calling. This means you need to save all your contacts in Google Contacts.
Apart from your saved contacts, you can call local businesses nearby as Google Home uses your location (during the set-up process, it requires location permission). If you want to order pizza from a nearby food joint, you can ask, “Hey Google, call the McDonald nearby”.
Google Home uses Wifi to use calling feature, and therefore, phones made by Google Home are different from ones made from your mobile phone.
This also means that the receiver cannot see your number on the screen. If your Google Voice number is linked with Google Home, your number will be displayed.
Difference between Google Home and Amazon Alexa
Though Amazon Alexa enjoys seniority in terms of experience, Google Home has an edge as users can call any of your Google contacts or local businesses. With Amazon Alexa, you can make calls only to the people who own Alexa enabled devices like Dot, Tap or Echo.
So why don’t you use Google Home to make calls?
If you compare the two smart speakers, Google Home wins the race. To stay in competition, Google will surely bring more advanced features to give you a better experience.
Also Check:
- How to Play Spotify Music Playlist on Google Home
- How to Send Recipes to Google Home
- How to Setup Payments with Google Home
- How to Send Email from Google Home
- Best Google Home Compatible Devices
- Best Smart Plugs for Google Home
- Best Smart Lights Bulbs for Google Home
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