Nest Thermostats Now Monitor HVAC Systems
Google has rolled out HVAC monitoring to all Nest thermostats. This capability will send alerts via email or the Google Home app if it sees any signs of a malfunction – for example, if you house becomes colder even if you’ve turned on the heat, or if your heating or AC stops repeatedly. The thermostats look for anomalies by monitoring the estimated ambient and target temperature and making sure it’s the right temperature based the amount of time the heating or AC has been running.
The NPD Take:
- This should be a welcome functionality addition for any Nest owner and help Nest top of mind as consumers consider their options across Nest and other leading brands like ecobee and Honeywell.
Philips Hue No Longer Works with Nest
Philips Hue integration with Nest Thermostat, Nest Cam, and Nest Protect will be discontinued on November 17, no longer supporting Works with Nest as it waits for Works with Hey Google. Philips says this will only be temporary, as Google builds existing Works with Nest features into the Google Home app.
The NPD Take:
- Fortunately, Google’s recently added Home & Away routines to the Google Home app makes this move from Philips less painful, as users can still do things like have their Hue lights turn off when you leave home. Still, more controls should come back when Works with Hey Google integration arrives.
HomePod Mini is Selling Out
Pre-orders for Apple’s smaller smart speaker began on November 6, and shipping times are already moving into December. The first orders are scheduled to arrive on November 16, but the latest so far have been pushed back to as late as December 10.
The NPD Take:
- Of course it is entirely possible that initial production of the HomePod Mini was impacted by COVID, or that Apple simply underestimated demand, it could also mean that Apple is on the way to rolling out a much more successful speaker. We may soon see an increasing number of homes using HomeKit and this speaker for smart home control.