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How Google’s New Data Policy Ruined Nest
So much for an independent universe in the connected home
Thermostats are one of the few home devices that legitimately benefit from an infusion of the internet. Smart thermostats help reduce energy usage and automate away a bunch of banal tasks — no more leaving the heat on while you’re at work, for example.
Nest led the way with its first smart thermostat all the way back in 2011, and it sold itself with a simple premise: Make thermostats easier to use. Tony Fadell, the man who created the iPod, designed the Nest without fussy features, instead focusing on making it as easy to use as possible. The service was eventually acquired by Google in 2014 for $3.2 billion.
“Nest data that is not specifically restricted… may inform the ads you see.”
Now, just a few years later, Google is forcing Nest owners to make a choice: Merge your data with your Google account or forfeit new features. Nest owners are being asked to migrate their accounts into Google’s ecosystem, and holdouts will be blocked from receiving updates after this month. Initial reports said the change would break integrations with all of the big names in smart home — Amazon Alexa, Philips Hue, IFTTT, Logitech Harmony, Lutron lights, August Home, and Wemo switches — though Google backtracked to clarify that companies will be able to go through a security audit to replicate their services in the new “Works with Google Assistant” framework. Ultimately, though, it’s still unclear if any of these integrations will work as expected after the migration. (Google did not respond to a request for an update on any of these services and their fate after account migration.)
There are reasons for concern beyond busted integrations. For instance, my Nest data may eventually be used for ad targeting, which feels disconcerting. In the company’s FAQ about account migration, it states that “Nest data that is not specifically restricted… may inform the ads you see.”
Mourning Nest
As I find myself in the market for a new thermostat — I’m moving to a new home halfway across the world — I can’t bring myself to buy anything from Nest…
