Cannot broadcast to specific devices

[ChristineBee]

I used to be able to broadcast to specific devices but without changing any settings it has stopped working. I can broadcast to the entire group, but not individual rooms. I say “hey google, broadcast to [device name]” and the reply I get says “sorry it looks like there isn’t anything named [device name] so I can’t broadcast your message” 

It  doesn’t recognize any of the individual device names at all even though I can see them in the google home app and it still broadcasts to all the devices if I do a general broadcast. I’ve tried rebooting them all as well as my wifi, the app is up to date. We used to use this feature a lot, thank you for your help. 

[rickjforbes]

I am also having this issue

[pandawilks]

I had a post about this issue around two months ago when it stopped being able to set media alarms by voice. Then broadcast worked again. And here we are today, broken again. I have several Google products which my family can't use fully since all the changes. This is the final straw. Now considering getting rid of the lot, including my YouTube music subscription, and going elsewhere

[pandawilks]

Just to add last time I got told to delete the whole home, devices, app etc. No difference.  Few days later after complaining all worked again so please keep complaining as agree, this is one of the best parts of Google home, telling people to come down to dinner etc

[MarkSiwek]

Same issue here. I can broadcast to the whole house, but if I specify a room it says that room doesn't exist, even though I can see it in the google home app and the device is active -_-

[rickjforbes]

@MarkSiwek 

I think that is a somewhat default response. When I am (sat in my lounge) and ask Google to "Fast Forward/Rewind <Lounge TV/Device Name> by X seconds. It will carry out the action without response (Sony Android TV)
When I ask "Please pause <Lounge TV/Device Name>" it says 
"sorry I don't recognise that device, please use your device name"
If I say "Pause the Lounge TV device" it will say, "I also need to know which device to use, try saying that again and include the device's name"

if I follow up with
"Lounge TV IS the device name"

I get
"I don't know, but I found these results on search"

[MarkSiwek]

So the issue is that this is how we've used the googles for several years, it's a recent change that we're unable to broadcast to specific rooms. I thought maybe for some insane reason the feature had been relegated but Googles help still has it:

Broadcast a message to a specific room or device

Say "Hey Google," then:

• "Broadcast to [room name] [message]."
• "Broadcast to [device name] [message]."

For a couple devices it works if I specify the device name and not the room it's in, but only for a couple, others it won't recognize (they're fully connected and accessible through the Home App).

I tried removing a device, factory resetting it and adding it back, but it didn't help. From the amount of similar messages I've found while searching for a solution it seems to be a common issue people run into with no fixed solution.

Oh, and this morning I noticed the simple routines I have created (lights on for a seed room) aren't running anymore. The routines work fine if I run them manually but won't trigger like they did a week ago.

It's just very frustrating because this is 90% of why we have the Googles

[rickjforbes]

Hi @MarkSiwek 

The common pattern with Google is that they bust features and don't fix them. There have been some recent efforts to communicate feature deprecation to customers, but despite that and as you have observed, lots of features that are advertised do not function, or when they have problems, Google have little to offer beyond pre-canned troubleshooting steps.
I have many cases across devices, and not ONE has been solved by Google's support efforts, despite them being reported many months ago (and some over a year ago) 
All I would like is for the advertised stuff to work, the stuff that used to work should work or if they are being deprecated, Google to give us fair notice and offer alternatives.
I can't even snooze an alarm in the morning, and the support somehow think this is okay
https://photos.app.goo.gl/qaDwEfSGux4c14JRA

https://photos.app.goo.gl/b99NSEqhLGyBBYvQ6

This article was a press release for removed features https://www.androidauthority.com/removing-google-assistant-features-2024-3401964/

It may interest you that I received this email in respect of my outstanding cases recently..it's worth noting that when you raise a case with them, and they reply, even if the action lies with Google, there is a footnote that says to reopen the case you must reply, they also conveniently close cases after 90 days of no activity, and then agents can't see it (apparently...which is obviously bizarre) and then you must go through troubleshooting again when you follow up on progress..it's very far from helpful and often crosses over into active harm.

any Google support agents here wish to discuss this or see my evidence that this is factually true may contact me.

Current Outstanding (unresolved) case list

1-3592000033064
1-9241000033987
8-3714000034534
3-6236000035177
8-9508000034949
6-3565000035534
1-1073000035545
9-3577000035839
2-9365000036030
2-0369000036400
4-7127000035709
5-1160000036242
7-4482000036359
4-7541000036296
4-1926000034940
5-1160000036242