Nest Is Designing a Cheaper Thermostat and New Home Security System, Report Says
An anonymous source spilled the beans to Bloomberg about the Nest’s plans for a cheaper learning thermostat and connected residential security gear.
A less expensive version of the Nest Learning Thermostat, above, may launch in 2018, an anonymous source told Bloomberg.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Nest is designing a less expense version of its Nest Learning Thermostat to go along with a new line of home security products as the company seeks a bigger share of the smart home market, according to Bloomberg.
The cheaper Nest thermostat would sell for under $200, while the current edition of the device sells for $249 on the Nest Store. The cheaper model is thought to keep the same temperature learning functionality of the flagship thermostat, but be manufactured with less expensive components and potentially do away with the current version’s metal edges, an anonymous source told Bloomberg.
Nest is also said to be developing sensors that will act as expansions to existing thermostat systems, and allow users to control the temperature of specific rooms instead of just the entire home. The cheaper thermostat is predicted to launch by next year.
According to the Bloomberg report:
The company is working on a version of its “learning thermostat,” which adjusts the temperature based on usage patterns, that would sell for under $200, the person said. The current version sells for $249. The cheaper model would include less expensive components and at least one internal prototype lacks the flagship model’s metal edges, the person said.
A home-security alarm system, a digital doorbell and an updated indoor security camera are also in the works, representing potential good news for a company that has struggled to release many new products.
An all-new home security alarm system, digital doorbell and updated indoor security camera are also said to be “in the works.” The home security system will have a central hub with a keypad that connects to a collection of alarm sensors that users place on windows and doors.
After being set up, it will act like a normal security system and ring when the home is entered until the right code is entered on the keypad hub. A keyring fob accessory can also be used to initiate and disable the alarm in lieu of typing in a code. Like all of Nest’s products, a connected iOS app will allow home owners to disengage the alarm to let specific people into a home when they are away.
An update to the Nest Indoor Cam could see a way for the camera to identify specific people within its range, according to the person familiar with Nest’s plans, who also detailed the company’s intention to launch a digital doorbell system with a video camera and face-to-face communication via the mobile app. The home security system is believed to arrive this year, the updated Nest Indoor Cam could launch as soon as this fall, and the digital doorbell is estimated to see a debut sometime in 2018.
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