What you need to know
- A new leak suggests that Google may be upgrading the Nest Learning Thermostat, revealing a new model priced at $279.
- This would be the most expensive Nest Learning Thermostat ever, and it appears to feature a borderless display and a stainless steel chassis.
- A release date is unclear, but Google is hosting an event next month, and it's possible we could see smart home products debut there.
All eyes are on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which are going to debut at a Made by Google event next month. However, we could see a long-overdue revamp of Google's smart home offerings at the event as well. A recent leak by Arsène Lupin on X (formerly Twitter) reveals a ton of information about a Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen). It would be the most expensive Nest thermostat ever, with a rumored $279 starting price.
The leak seems to be credible as it includes what looks to be official marketing and product images. It even includes a breakdown of how the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) compares to the existing Nest Thermostat. While both devices can be controlled remotely with the Google Home app, that's about where the differences end.
pic.twitter.com/vysHee05KhJuly 28, 2024
The highlight of this rumored refresh is a design overhaul that will make the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) a more premium product. There's a new borderless, high-resolution display that looks stunning in the leaked images. In fact, it looks quite like a blown-up Pixel Watch, and that's not a bad thing. The thermostat also features a stainless steel chassis, making it more attractive than the design of the Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd gen) and the standard Nest Thermostat.
There are plenty of new software features, too. The Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) will offer a customizable home screen, so you can adjust the appearance of your digital display to your liking. The chart mentions a new feature called Dynamic Farsight that requires the Google Home app, and is presumably an iteration of the current Farsight functionality, which lets you see information at a glance.
Additionally, energy savings is once again a key selling point of the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen). The product materials reference Adaptive Eco mode and Smart Schedules, both of which will help reduce power draw. There's also a System Health Monitor that could help you figure out if there is a problem with your heating or cooling systems. It'll work with Matter, too, as the unified smart home standard continues to grow and be adopted by manufacturers.
pic.twitter.com/geUXNsMwWHJuly 28, 2024
In the box, the images suggest you'll get a Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), a trim plate, a thermostat base, a steel plate, a Nest Temperature Sensor (2nd gen), and mounting screws and wiring labels.
Overall, if this is the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), it looks like a pretty compelling upgrade. The redesign matches modern design trends and looks excellent, and there are new features as well. The only sticking point may be the $279 starting price, but the current Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd gen) retails for $250 at full price.
It's only a $30 increase over the existing model, but I'll be curious to see what sales and discounts will be available for the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen). You can pick up a Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd gen) for $170 right now, which is competitive. But it's important to remember that the Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd gen) is already almost a decade old. I suspect people invested in the Nest ecosystem will be happy to see a new Nest Learning Thermostat at all, and won't get hung up on the pricing.
I hope this a preview of a full-scale Google Nest revamp
This leak only covers the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), but I hope it's a preview of what could be coming at the Made by Google event next month. The entire Nest lineup has been neglected for the past few years, and it's time to change that. Sure, the Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd gen) — which first released in 2015 — is one of the oldest products in the lineup, but it's not the only one to show its age.
In particular, I'd like to see Google update the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max. The Nest Hub (2nd gen) released in 2021, and the Nest Hub Max was released in 2019. You might think that the Pixel Tablet replaces both devices, but that certainly isn't the case. It's too expensive to just serve as a smart display — you need to make use of its tablet functionality to make it worthwhile. Plus, it's much harder to deck out your home with Pixel Tablet(s) than it is with Nest Hub(s) for a reasonable price.
It doesn't get better when you look at the Google Home and Google Home Mini. They were released in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Though they're cheap, that doesn't make up for their aging hardware and feature set. The Nest Audio is a few years old, too. Up and down the Nest lineup, there are more products that need an update badly than there are ones that do not.
So, here's to hoping the Made by Google event brings a long-overdue refresh to the entire Nest lineup. If new products are announced, Google might be competitive in the smart home space again.
