That went faster than expected: Google only had to announce on Friday that it would have to limit the functionality of smart speakers and the corresponding update is already being distributed. After updating the Google Home app, it is no longer possible to change the volume of smart speakers or smart displays using the volume rocker on the smartphone.
After several years of a legal dispute between Google and Sonos, the loudspeaker manufacturer emerged victorious in one stage and is now forcing Google to limit the functionality of audio products due to a number of infringed patents. These changes are apparently implemented very quickly because the update for the Google Home app that has been rolled out these days already limits the scope of the volume control.
Although the volume of the individual smart speakers and smart displays can be adjusted with the Google Home app, it is no longer possible to do this for an entire group using the volume rocker on the smartphone. In the near future, it will no longer be possible to regulate the volume of the entire group via the app.
Instead, this has to be done individually for each device. In the video above you can see the old implementation on the left and the new variant on the right. In the next few days, this function should also be removed for Cast devices for which the control is currently still working in this way.