Nest Reportedly Developing Sub-$200 Thermostat And New Smart Home Security Hub
Have you been eye a Nest thermostat, but have been unable to justify the rather high price tag? Rumor has it that the home automation company is currently working on a “learning thermostat” that would ring in under $200 USD. The Alphabet, Inc. subsidiary is also supposedly testing a home-security alarm system, a digital doorbell and an updated indoor security camera.
Nest thermostats regulate a home’s temperature based on the user’s schedule. The device also lets users know how much they have saved on utilities, warns the user through phone notifications whether the house has reached an alarming temperature (e.g. so cold that pipes could burst), and works alongside other smart home devices (like Amazon Echo and Google Home). The sub-$200 thermostat would not differ too much from the original in functionality, however, prototypes indicate that it would use cheaper components and not include the flagship's fashionable metal edges. It is also rumored that Nest is working on allowing users to regulate the temperature of individual rooms, not just the entire house.
Nest’s end-to-end home security alarm purportedly includes a keypad, several alarms, and a fob for key rings for arming and disarming the alarm system. The technology would work like your average alarm system, however, users would be able to approve of the entry of specific people through a smartphone app.
The second-generation security camera would be incredibly similar to the first. Some of the rumored improvements include being able to recognize specific people in the frame. The digital doorbell would include a video camera that could be operated through an app. Users would be able to communicate with visitors before opening the door. All of these new developments will likely be introduced sometime in 2018.
Nest introduced its first learning thermostat in 2011. The product was a huge hit and the company was acquired by Google for $3.2 billion in 2014.
Nest thermostats regulate a home’s temperature based on the user’s schedule. The device also lets users know how much they have saved on utilities, warns the user through phone notifications whether the house has reached an alarming temperature (e.g. so cold that pipes could burst), and works alongside other smart home devices (like Amazon Echo and Google Home). The sub-$200 thermostat would not differ too much from the original in functionality, however, prototypes indicate that it would use cheaper components and not include the flagship's fashionable metal edges. It is also rumored that Nest is working on allowing users to regulate the temperature of individual rooms, not just the entire house.
The second-generation security camera would be incredibly similar to the first. Some of the rumored improvements include being able to recognize specific people in the frame. The digital doorbell would include a video camera that could be operated through an app. Users would be able to communicate with visitors before opening the door. All of these new developments will likely be introduced sometime in 2018.
Nest introduced its first learning thermostat in 2011. The product was a huge hit and the company was acquired by Google for $3.2 billion in 2014.
