Google Improves Find My Device Capability
Google has indicated that Nest products will play a new role in recovering lost connected devices. A recent update to the company’s Find My Device service which sought to include a wider array of item tracker brands will also include the lost device’s proximity to a Nest device, which should help narrow down the search area and help users find their object. For example, a set of house keys (affixed to a Bluetooth item tracker) will be listed as “last seen near the Living Room Nest speaker”.
The Circana Take:
- With the Nest brand and products going through some changes recently, including fewer Assistant features and the shutting down of Nest Secure, the addition of features to some of the company’s most widely owned products is encouraging for owners.
- Adding a Nest proximity feature to complement the growing market of item trackers will help to keep users engaged with these products and extend their life cycle inside the home.
Crestron Partners on Healthy Smart Home
Smart home company Crestron recently formed a partnership with RePure, a provider of integrated air and water solutions. At the core of the collaboration is RePure’s Healthy Home OS, a platform for managing a home’s health and wellbeing via integrated HVAC and management solutions. Though specific plans and details on the partnership are forthcoming, according to Crestron director of technology partnerships Bob Bavolacco the venture will enable homeowners to “curate living spaces that promote health and well-being” and likely open up interoperability between Crestron’s products and RePure’s connected platform.
The Circana Take:
- Connected air and water purifiers have been a growing portion of the retail market but have yet to be fully integrated into most smart home platforms.
- The partnership between Crestron and RePure will seek to combine the lighting and other design considerations Crestron is known for with RePure’s focus on the healthy home.