Google Nest facts for kids
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Google Nest Retail Stand
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Formerly
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Nest Labs |
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Home automation |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founders | Tony Fadell Matt Rogers |
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U.S.
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Areas served
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Key people
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| Products | Smart speakers, smart displays, streaming devices, thermostats, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, cameras, home security systems, video doorbells, smart locks |
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Number of employees
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1,100 (2015) |
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Google Nest is a brand of smart home products. These devices help make your home more automated and connected. They include smart speakers, smart displays, thermostats, smoke detectors, cameras, and security systems.
The Nest brand started as Nest Labs. It was founded in 2010 by former Apple engineers Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers. Their first product was the Nest Learning Thermostat in 2011. This thermostat could learn your habits and save energy. Many other Nest products also have smart, self-learning features. Later, they released the Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. They also added Nest Cam security cameras after buying a company called Dropcam.
Google bought Nest Labs in 2014. At that time, Nest had about 280 employees. By 2015, Nest grew to over 1,100 employees. For a few years, Nest operated on its own under Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc.. But in 2018, Nest joined Google's main home-devices team. Since then, all of Google's smart home products are sold under the Google Nest name.
Contents
History of Google Nest
How Nest Labs Started
Nest Labs was created in 2010 by Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers. Tony Fadell got the idea when he was building a house. He found that regular thermostats were not very good. He wanted to create a smarter, better thermostat. Early investors helped Nest Labs get started.
Nest Joins Google
On January 13, 2014, Google announced it would buy Nest Labs. The deal was completed the very next day. Nest continued to work somewhat independently at first.
In June 2014, Nest bought a camera company called Dropcam. Dropcam's cameras then worked with other Nest products. For example, if a Nest Protect alarm went off, the Dropcam could start recording.
Nest products became available in more countries in Europe in 2014. In June 2015, Nest released the new Nest Cam. This camera replaced the Dropcam. They also launched a second version of the Nest Protect.
Nest as Part of Alphabet Inc.
In August 2015, Google changed its company structure. It created a new main company called Alphabet Inc.. Nest became a separate company under Alphabet.
In January 2016, some Nest thermostats stopped working. This was due to a software update. Nest quickly fixed the issue.
Tony Fadell, the CEO of Nest, left the company in June 2016. At this time, the smart home market was still quite new. Not many homes had internet-connected devices yet.
Nest Joins Google's Hardware Team
On February 7, 2018, Nest officially joined Google's hardware division. This team also includes products like Google Home and Chromecast. Nest's CEO, Marwan Fawaz, then reported to Rick Osterloh, who leads Google's hardware. The goal was to connect Nest products more closely with Google services like Google Assistant. Soon after, Nest co-founder Matt Rogers also left the company.
In July 2018, Marwan Fawaz stepped down as Nest CEO. Nest then fully merged with Google's home devices team. This team is led by Rishi Chandra.
On May 7, 2019, Google announced that "Google Nest" would be the new name for all its home products. For example, the Google Home Hub was renamed Google Nest Hub. A new, bigger version called the Nest Hub Max was also released. Other products like Chromecast and Google Wifi also became part of the Google Nest brand.
Nest also changed how its products worked with other smart devices. It stopped its "Works with Nest" program. Instead, it focused on using Google Assistant for connections. This change was made to improve security and privacy for users. Google promised to be clear about how it uses personal information.
Working with ADT and Amazon Alexa
In August 2020, Google announced a partnership with ADT Inc.. Google invested money in ADT. The plan is to combine Nest devices with ADT's home security services. Nest products will become a main part of ADT's smart home offerings.
By mid-2022, newer Nest cameras also started working with Amazon Alexa devices. This means you can view camera footage on devices like Amazon Echo Show and Fire TV.
Google Nest Products
Nest Learning Thermostat
The Nest Learning Thermostat is a smart, Wi-Fi-connected thermostat. It learns your habits to save energy. For the first few weeks, you set the temperature. Nest then learns your schedule and preferred temperatures. It can also use sensors and your phone's location. This helps it switch to an energy-saving mode when no one is home.
| Model | Release Date |
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| Nest Learning Thermostat 1st Generation | October 25, 2011 |
| Nest Learning Thermostat 2nd Generation | October 2, 2012 |
| Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd Generation | September 1, 2015 |
| Nest Thermostat E | August 31, 2017 |
| Nest Thermostat | October 12, 2020 |
The Nest Thermostat has an easy-to-use system. You can spin and click its control wheel to change settings. This lets you switch between heating and cooling. You can also check energy history and schedules. Since it connects to the internet, Nest can send updates. These updates fix problems and add new features.
Nest thermostats are sold in many countries. These include the United States, Canada, and several European countries.
In September 2017, Nest released the Thermostat E. This was a cheaper version of the original. It works similarly but has a plastic ring and a "frosted" screen. The screen only turns on when you use it. It also has fewer wiring connectors. This means it works with about 85% of homes.
In October 2020, Google released a new "Nest Thermostat." It has a mirror-like screen. You control it by swiping and tapping a touch-sensitive strip. This version does not have the learning features of older models. It also doesn't support remote sensors.
Nest Protect
In October 2013, Nest launched the Nest Protect. This device is a smoke and carbon monoxide detector. It comes in white or black. You can choose a battery-powered or wired model.
The Nest Protect has a colorful light ring. This ring changes colors to show different things. For example, yellow means an early warning. Red means an alarm is sounding. The ring also has a motion sensor. It turns white briefly when someone walks by to light the way. The Nest Protect gives you a warning before an alarm sounds. It can also talk to the Nest Thermostat. This helps the thermostat know if someone is home. It can also shut off the furnace if there's a fire.
In April 2014, sales of Nest Protect were stopped for a short time. This was because the alarm could be accidentally turned off. About 440,000 units were recalled. A software update was sent out to fix the problem.
In June 2015, Nest launched a new version of the Nest Protect. This "second generation" has a better sensor. It can detect both slow-burning and fast-burning fires. The carbon monoxide sensor also lasts longer. The new Nest Protect lasts 10 years, compared to seven years for the original. You can also silence the new Nest Protect using a smart device.
Nest Cam Indoor
In June 2015, Nest announced the Nest Cam. This was an improved security camera based on the Dropcam. It records video in 1080p quality. It has a magnetic stand, night vision, and two-way talk. It also sends alerts for sound and motion. You can pay extra for Nest Aware cloud services. This camera was later renamed Nest Cam Indoor. In 2021, Google released a second-generation Nest Cam Indoor. It can be powered by battery or wire.
Nest Cam Outdoor
The Nest Cam Outdoor was released in July 2016. It is a version of the Nest Cam made for outside use. Its design helps it handle outdoor weather. In 2021, Google released a second-generation, battery-powered Nest Cam Outdoor.
Nest Cam IQ
The Nest Cam IQ was announced in June 2017. It is a more advanced Nest Cam Indoor. It has a 4K camera sensor. It can also recognize different faces if you use the Nest Aware service. It has better Wi-Fi and stronger night vision lights. It also has a powerful speaker and more microphones. It can even zoom in on action happening in front of the camera.
An outdoor version of the Cam IQ was released in September 2017. The indoor Cam IQ also got an update in 2018. This update added Google Assistant features to the device.
In 2021, both the Nest Cam IQ Indoor and Outdoor were stopped. Google planned to launch new security cameras.
Nest Secure
Nest Secure was a home security system launched in November 2017. The system included Nest Guard, which is an alarm, keypad, and motion sensor. It also had Nest Detect, a sensor for doors and windows. Nest Tag was a key chain fob. Nest also worked with Brinks Home Security for professional monitoring.
In February 2019, Nest Guard got an update. This update added Google Assistant. This meant it could also work as a smart speaker.
On October 19, 2020, Google stopped making Nest Secure. Google said it would continue service for existing users. However, in April 2023, Google announced that the service would be shut down on April 8, 2024.
Nest Doorbell
The Nest Doorbell (first called Nest Hello) is a series of smart video doorbells. They have facial recognition. It was launched in the U.S. and Canada in March 2018. In 2021, Google released a battery-powered Nest Doorbell. The original Nest Hello was renamed Nest Doorbell (wired). In October 2022, a second-generation wired Nest Doorbell was launched. It brought back features like 24/7 recording with Nest Aware Plus.
Nest × Yale
Nest × Yale is a smart lock made with Yale. It was released in March 2018. It connects to Nest Connect or Nest Guard. The lock uses four AA batteries. It also has a way to connect a 9V battery for emergency power.
Nest Wifi
Nest Cam with Floodlight
In 2021, Google announced the Nest Cam with Floodlight. This is a version of the Nest Cam Outdoor. It has two bright floodlights, one on each side of the camera.
Works with Nest Program
"Works with Nest" was a program that let other smart devices connect with Nest products. This included virtual assistants and other smart home systems. Many companies like Whirlpool also had direct connections with Nest.
On May 7, 2019, Google announced that "Works with Nest" would be stopped. Users were asked to switch to Google accounts and Google Assistant for connections. Google said this change was for security and privacy. Third-party devices would have less access to personal data. This change caused some concern. Some products might lose their ability to connect with Nest devices.
On May 16, 2019, Google explained more. Existing connections would not stop working right away. But users could no longer add new ones. Google also said it was working to add Nest features to Google Assistant. It also wanted to keep connections with Amazon Alexa.
Legal Challenges
Nest has faced some legal challenges over the years. In February 2012, Honeywell claimed that Nest copied some of its thermostat ideas. Nest disagreed.
In 2016, Nest announced it would stop supporting its Revolv smart hubs. This meant the devices would stop working. This decision caused some public discussion.
In May 2016, an employee filed a complaint against Nest and Google. The employee said they were fired for talking about problems at the company.
Google Nest Parody
On May 7, 2014, a German activist group called Peng Collective made a fake website. It was named Google Nest. The website made fun of Google's privacy policies. It showed fake products that gathered a lot of user data. The group said these products were made after "studying user behavior."
Google's lawyers asked Peng to take down the site. But the Electronic Frontier Foundation helped Peng. They said that making fun of a company for political reasons is allowed. The site was not trying to trick people into thinking it was real.
See also
In Spanish: Google Nest para niños
- Internet of things
- Machine learning
- Android Things
- X10
- ecobee
