Is Nest being phased out? What’s really happening with Google’s smart home devices

Google bought Nest in 2014 for $3.2 billion. Back then, people thought Nest would become the heart of every smart home. The sleek thermostat, the quiet camera, the learning smoke detector - they felt like the future. But today, five years after Google merged Nest into its broader smart home ecosystem, people are asking: Nest is being phased out? The answer isn’t simple. It’s not a shutdown. It’s a quiet transformation.

What happened to the Nest brand?

Google didn’t kill Nest. It absorbed it. By 2021, Google stopped using the Nest name on new products. The Nest Thermostat became the Google Thermostat. The Nest Cam became the Google Camera. The Nest Protect turned into the Google Protect. The logo changed. The app changed. Even the packaging changed. If you bought a new device after 2021, you didn’t see the Nest name anywhere - unless you looked closely at the fine print.

This wasn’t an accident. Google wanted one unified brand. They wanted you to think of their smart home as one system, not a collection of products with different names. Nest had strong design and loyal users, but Google’s goal was scale. They wanted the same app, the same voice controls, the same AI features across every device. Keeping the Nest name around made that harder.

Are Nest devices still supported?

Yes. All existing Nest devices still work. Your 2018 Nest Thermostat still learns your schedule. Your Nest Doorbell still alerts you when someone rings. Your Nest Cam still records in 1080p. Google still sends firmware updates. Security patches still roll out. Customer support still answers calls.

But here’s the catch: Google stopped making new Nest-branded hardware after 2022. The last new Nest product was the Nest Doorbell (battery version), released in late 2021. Since then, every new smart home device from Google carries the Google logo - not Nest.

That means if you’re shopping for a new thermostat right now, you’ll see the Google Nest Thermostat 2024. But it’s not called Nest on the box. It’s called Google Nest Thermostat. The product page says ‘powered by Nest technology.’ The Nest name is still there - just not as the brand.

Why did Google drop the Nest name?

It’s not about quality. Nest devices were well-made. The problem was confusion.

Before 2021, Google had three smart home brands: Google Home, Nest, and Fitbit. You had Google Home speakers, Nest thermostats, and Fitbit wearables - all trying to work together. But users didn’t know which app to use. Which devices worked with which? Why did the thermostat need a separate app from the speaker?

Google’s solution: simplify. They merged everything under one roof: Google Home. Now, all smart home devices - whether they came from Nest, Fitbit, or were built in-house - show up in the Google Home app. Voice control works the same. Routines are unified. Automation rules apply across all devices.

It’s like when Apple stopped using ‘iPod’ for every music player. They didn’t kill the iPod - they made it part of the iPhone. Nest is now part of Google’s smart home platform.

What’s the difference between Nest and Google smart home devices?

Technically, there’s almost no difference. The same engineers who built the original Nest Thermostat now build the Google Thermostat. The same sensors, the same algorithms, the same energy-saving features. The only thing that changed is the logo and the name.

Here’s what’s still the same:

• Learning your schedule and adjusting temperature automatically
• Energy reports that show how much you saved
• Home/Away Assist using your phone’s location
• Integration with Google Assistant and Alexa
• 1080p HD video with night vision on cameras
• Person, package, and animal detection using AI

Here’s what’s new in Google-branded devices:

• Improved noise cancellation on doorbells
• Real-time language translation in video calls
• More accurate motion zones with machine learning
• Direct integration with Google Maps for delivery alerts
• Auto-archiving of video clips to Google One cloud storage

So if you’re holding a Nest Thermostat from 2020 and a Google Thermostat from 2024, they’re functionally identical. The newer one just has a few extra features baked in.

Should you buy a Nest device today?

If you’re shopping now, you won’t find a new Nest-branded device on store shelves. But you might find older stock. If you see a Nest Thermostat E or a Nest Cam IQ on sale, it’s still a great buy - if you can get it at a discount.

But here’s the reality: Google stopped making new Nest hardware in 2022. That means no more firmware updates after 2027. Most smart home devices get 5-7 years of support. So if you buy a Nest device today, you’re buying something that will stop receiving updates in 2030.

That’s why it’s smarter to buy a Google-branded device. The Google Thermostat 2024 comes with a 10-year warranty. It’s designed to work with future Google AI features. It’s already compatible with the latest Google Home app updates. And it’s guaranteed to get updates until at least 2031.

What about Nest’s privacy and data?

Google’s data policies didn’t change when they dropped the Nest name. Your video footage still goes to Google’s servers. Your temperature history is still used to improve energy efficiency. Your voice commands still get processed by Google Assistant.

But Google did make one big change in 2023: they stopped using smart home data to target ads. That’s a direct response to user concerns. Now, your thermostat settings and camera footage are used only to improve device performance - not to sell you sneakers or toothpaste.

Privacy controls are now clearer. You can delete your entire history with one click. You can turn off video recording permanently. You can even disable AI detection features if you don’t want your camera learning who’s in your house.

Is the Nest ecosystem still worth it?

Yes - if you’re okay with the rebrand. The core technology is better than ever. The AI is smarter. The app is faster. The integration with Android, Chromecast, and Google Assistant is seamless.

But if you loved the Nest brand for its minimalist design and independent identity, you might feel like you lost something. That’s fair. Nest had soul. Google has scale.

Think of it this way: Nest was the indie band everyone loved. Google is the record label that bought them, gave them a bigger stage, better sound engineers, and a global tour - but changed their name on the posters. The music didn’t change. The fans still show up. But the name on the ticket is different.

So is Nest being phased out? Not exactly. It’s being absorbed. The devices still work. The features still evolve. The brand just doesn’t wear its old name anymore.

If you’re upgrading your home right now, skip the old Nest boxes. Go for the Google-branded ones. They’re the same device - just with a future-proof name.

What’s next for smart home devices?

Google’s move away from Nest wasn’t about abandoning smart homes - it was about betting big on one system. The future isn’t about brands. It’s about interoperability. That’s why Google is pushing Matter, the open standard that lets devices from Apple, Amazon, and Google talk to each other.

Soon, your Google Thermostat will work with an Apple HomePod. Your Nest Cam (now Google Camera) will trigger routines on an Amazon Echo. The brand name won’t matter. The connection will.

So if you’re wondering whether Nest is gone - it’s not. It’s just hiding in plain sight. The same technology is still there. The same intelligence. The same quiet efficiency. It just doesn’t wear the Nest logo anymore.