Google has a Preview Program for Google Home to try out unreleased features

With Google Home now available in Australia, we’re now able to access most of the functions of the speaker/assistant (cough Actions on Google), but if you want to live on the bleeding edge then perhaps the new Google Home Preview Program may be to your liking.

Much like the preview program for Chromecast which launched last year, the Google Home Preview Program will let you preview unreleased firmware updates. These aren’t beta updates, Google says the firmware provided through the Beta program ‘will be of the same quality as production version update’ before saying ‘You’re simply getting earlier access to new features before they’re released broadly.

Joining the Google Home Preview Program is apparently simple, just follow the steps below. The program may be region restricted as none of my devices are showing the option – or as Google notes: If you don’t see Preview Program, we aren’t accepting new members at this time.

1. From your phone or tablet, open the Google Home app .
2. In the upper right corner of the home screen, tap Devices  to see your available Chromecast and Google Home devices. 
3. Scroll to find the device card for the device you’d like to enroll in the Preview Program.
4. In the top right corner of the device card, tap the device card menu .
5. Tap Settings > Preview Program.  If you don’t see Preview Program, we aren’t accepting new members at this time. Please continue to check back as opportunities become available. 
6. Choose whether to receive email notifications by moving the slider to the right or left. Note: We recommend allowing email notifications so you’ll know when new updates are pushed to your device.  
7. If you opt-in to email notifications, you’ll be asked to sign into your Google account if you haven’t already. 
8. Review the contents of that page, and tap Join Program. 
9. Review the contents of the page, then tap OK, GOT IT. ​

If you manage to join the Preview Program you may find small inconsistencies and you will be required to supply feedback, so make sure you’re up to the challenge. If you are, go for it!