Google is preparing a fix for a bug that has left one of Google Home’s headline camera features unavailable. This issue affects Walmart’s budget Onn security cameras.
The issue affects Familiar Faces, Google’s facial recognition feature that can identify known people instead of simply reporting generic motion events. While Walmart advertises its Google Home-compatible Onn cameras as supporting the feature for Google Home Premium subscribers, users recently discovered that it had been disabled behind the scenes.
Now, Google says the problem was unintentional and that a solution is already on the way.
Responding to reports from users, the company confirmed it had traced the issue to the cameras’ firmware rather than the Google Home app itself. According to Google, Familiar Faces was “temporarily disabled” while the problem is addressed. Moreover, the fix is currently being validated ahead of a firmware update expected in the coming weeks.
That’s good news for anyone who bought into the Onn ecosystem expecting a Nest-like experience without the Nest price tag.
Familiar Faces is one of the more useful Google Home Premium features. It allows compatible cameras to recognise people you’ve already identified and send more informative notifications. Instead of a generic motion alert, users can receive notifications that a specific family member or regular visitor has been spotted. As a result, this makes camera alerts far more useful at a glance.
The Onn camera range launched as an affordable alternative to Google’s own Nest lineup. It features indoor, outdoor, floodlight and video doorbell models, all integrating with Google Home. Prices start at around $23. Due to this, they are among the cheapest ways to add Google Home-compatible cameras to a smart home.
While the Familiar Faces bug appears close to being resolved, some users have reported other issues with the Onn lineup. This includes networking problems that have persisted since launch. Google hasn’t commented on those reports. Also, its latest update relates only to restoring Familiar Faces support.
Assuming the firmware rollout goes to plan, owners of Walmart’s Onn cameras should see the feature return automatically once the update arrives over the next few weeks. Consequently, this will bring the budget cameras a little closer to feature parity with Google’s own Nest devices.
