How often should we be updating our smart thermostats?
Google gives some unexpected love to the Nest brand
As much as I love new technology, I really hate the incessant push to trash your current gear to replace it with the latest new thing.
That's one of the reasons why I've loved my Nest Learning Thermostat so much. Sure, it's a gadget, but it's also a crucial piece of your home infrastructure. It should last for a long time and you shouldn't feel like a sucker if you don't replace it every year.
So it made sense that the thermostat was the product that put Nest on the map. It was the product that fueled Google's acquisition of the company. And it also made it really the gateway smart home gadget for people who weren't sure how smart they needed their house to be.
There were a few minor cosmetic updates over the years, but the circular hunk of metal and glass really became what we pictured in our heads when we heard "smart thermostat". No, it wasn't perfect. I had some installation issues in two different homes. That darn "C" Wire always got me. I even ran an adapter and plugged it into a wall socket for a time. It wasn't the most elegant option but it got the job done.
Needless to say, I wasn't really in the market to replace my current thermostat. But then Google just came out of nowhere to release an update this week. Oddly it came before the official Google event scheduled next week. Yes, there is a new thermostat available. It shares a similar design language with its predecessor but also looks like an overgrown version of the domed glass found on the Pixel Watch. It's a very sleek looking device. But is it worth upgrading your current setup?
My gut is telling me no, but I am intrigued. My thermostat currently shows a simple clock face so you can know the time at a glance. It's just useful and minimal enough to be effective. Do I really need a bigger screen that can display more information than that? Should my thermostat morph into another smart display on my wall? It seems like overkill.
One thing that did catch my attention was that the new thermostat will be sold with a remote temperature sensor. I've had these Nest sensors in the past and they haven't been the most reliable. A new version of the sensor will be welcomed with open arms. These things formerly looked like little white hockey pucks, but it seems like Google is changing them up to look more like a pebble or elongated Pixel Buds case. Whatever you think they look like, they give you a lot more granularity when setting the temperature in your house. You can have the thermostat cater to the sensor in the living room when you're hanging out there in the evening. Then maybe it switches over to the sensor in your room to make sure you're comfortable while you sleep. There are lots of possibilities to keep you always comfortable from room to room.
Evidently Google thinks that a new variation of the smart thermostat every four years or so feels right. That seems reasonable to me. I highly doubt that most people will pull their existing thermostats off the wall on launch day to replace them with this, but it's nice to have the option. At the end of the day, it's just something to control the temperature in your home. Sure, you can make it easier to use and give it other bells and whistles, but it serves one purpose.
Smart home gadgets are great, but they really shouldn't be on the same upgrade cycle treadmill of phones. As I think about it, phones really are the only major piece of tech that companies still push consumers to upgrade every year. Computers have settled into more lengthy lifespan. People tend to hang onto smart watches and ear buds for a while as well.
I suppose if you just moved into a new home and you're looking at an ugly old thermostat that has no smarts whatsoever, you'd be thrilled to check out the latest and greatest model from Nest. But if you're like me and already have a pretty smart setup, I'm not sure it makes the priority list of tech upgrades. Let's just hope that Google put these things through some rigorous testing to avoid any major bugs or inefficiencies. And please don't just decide to discontinue support for them on a whim like they did for a certain home security solution that I'm still bitter about...
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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