I like to think of Nest as the brand that made home automation cool. In the very early years of home automation, systems – just like cell phones and other technology devices – were clunky and just plain ugly. But then Nest made an attractive looking smart thermostat and it changed everything. Home automation could be both smart and stylish. While the thermostat might just still be Nest’s most well-known product, the Nest ecosystem is expanding and has added to its product line to include a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector and now a security camera.
What’s most exciting about Nest is that its first-of-its-kind comprehensive developer platform for the home will be useable by other companies and more than a dozen companies have already committed to adopting it. In fact, the Linus lock by Yale is the first Works with Nest product to already use Nest Weave. This means that, through the Nest app, you can check to see if your front door is closed, give visitors a temporary password so they can enter without a key, and see when someone came in the door and left.
Beyond Yale, the major companies that will now support Weave include iHome, GE, Philips Hue, WeMo, Big Ass Solutions, Daikin North America, Hunter Douglas, Legrand, Lutron Electronics, LIFX, P&G, Somfy, Rachio, Tyco, and Skybell. Further down the road, Google OnHub router will also work with Weave. Nest Weave was previously used only in Nest products to communicate with one another, but its new update will allow multiple types of devices to talk directly to each other.
Nest is also making a few other big updates. The next generation of Nest’s smoke and carbon monoxide alarm is 11% smaller in size, features a brighter light ring for path illumination, and will be able to locate different types of fires. Should you accidentally set off the alarm, you can use your smartphone to disable false alarms. Beyond the smoke alarm, Nest’s cloud-based security camera is also being updated for the better. Initially, the Nest Cam only interacted with other Nest products. For example, it could begin recording if the Nest smoke alarm went off. Now, with the new camera API, developers can connect their non-Nest products to Nest Cam. August, Mimo, Petnet, Philips Hue, and Skybell are already launching Nest Cam integrations in their products, including August’s smart lock, Skybell’s WiFi video doorbell, Mimo’s baby monitor, and Philips Hue’s smart bulbs.
Nest is working hard to make it a necessary home automation tool for every home. With a constant stream of updates, we can expect Nest to stay at the top of the leader board for home automation systems.
Photo by: fixedgear
