Google mobile service (gms) API call fails from one week to the other

Question

I cloned the google sample app for matter to try out some functionalities. Everything worked as expected until I tried it today. Now when running through android studio on my physical phone I get this error and I can't really put my finger on what is wrong:

W/ConnectionStatusConfig: Dynamic lookup for intent failed for action: com.google.android.gms.home.service.START
W/GmsClient: unable to connect to service: com.google.android.gms.home.service.START on com.google.android.gms
E/GHSAFM-HomeViewModel: com.google.android.gms.common.api.ApiException: 17: API: CommissioningClient.API is not available on this device. Connection failed with: ConnectionResult{statusCode=API_UNAVAILABLE, resolution=null, message=null}
        at com.google.android.gms.common.internal.ApiExceptionUtil.fromStatus(com.google.android.gms:play-services-base@@18.1.0:3)
        at com.google.android.gms.common.api.internal.ApiExceptionMapper.getException(com.google.android.gms:play-services-base@@18.1.0:1)
        at com.google.android.gms.common.api.internal.zag.zad(com.google.android.gms:play-services-base@@18.1.0:1)
        at com.google.android.gms.common.api.internal.zabq.zaE(com.google.android.gms:play-services-base@@18.1.0:7)
        at com.google.android.gms.common.api.internal.zabq.zaD(com.google.android.gms:play-services-base@@18.1.0:2)
        at com.google.android.gms.common.api.internal.zabq.zar(com.google.android.gms:play-services-base@@18.1.0:24)
        at com.google.android.gms.common.api.internal.zabt.run(com.google.android.gms:play-services-base@@18.1.0:12)
        at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:942)
        at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
        at android.os.Looper.loopOnce(Looper.java:226)
        at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:313)
        at android.os.HandlerThread.run(HandlerThread.java:67)
D/GHSAFM-HomeFragment: commissionDeviceStatus.observe: status [com.google.homesampleapp.TaskStatus$Failed@eb8bdde]

Google/ChatGPT leaned into saying that this way due to the google mobile service (gms) API not being available on my phone. However, it worked last week and I didn't (manually) upgrade anything. Google home services are on version 2.66.1.13 on my phone. Are there maybe other variables involved that are not shown in this error?

Answer 1

Resolved it by reinstalling Google Home App for Android. Apparently this is a temporary issue that is being investigated and this is the workaround.

More info in the official github issue.