Google Nest

After leaving its lineup stagnant for years, Google finally brought new Nest products to the market this year in the form of new cameras and an updated doorbell. However, Google is also in the process of moving Nest owners from one app to another, and in the meantime, owners with both generations of products are left in a place where everything is confusing and frustrating.

Google’s updated Nest Cam products come with several advantages such as offline storage, battery power, and lower prices. However, they also come with some frustrating problems including the current lack of support for streaming Nest Cam video to Chromecast or Android TV.

As part of a company-wide effort to let users make “more sustainable choices,” Google is introducing “Nest Renew.” This service lets Nest Thermostat owners prioritize clean energy when heating and cooling.

Around two months after their announcement, Google is releasing the latest two cameras in its revamped Nest lineup. The Google Nest Cam Floodlight and Nest Cam Indoor are now available starting at $99.

Most smart home gear isn’t for everyone, but a smart doorbell is a piece of tech that arguably most folks should have installed. Google’s Nest Hello was one of the best options for a smart doorbell for years, but it came at a hefty cost and, as the competition improved, fell behind on many features. The new Nest Doorbell brings an updated design, a built-in battery, and several more new features. 

The latest Nest lineup brings new cameras and a doorbell, but these products don’t work with the original Nest app at all. The Google Home app is missing some key features, including the ability to get a manual clip from recordings or see live Nest Cam feeds through the web, but Google says both of these are coming.

In launching the new Nest Doorbell (battery) in early August, Google also rebranded the old Nest Hello and continued selling it. Google today told customers that it’s launching a second-generation Nest Doorbell (wired) in 2022.

Google’s Nest doorbell lineup is about to take part in a yearly tradition of custom ringtones to celebrate the holidays. Alongside those yearly tones, though, Google has also confirmed that it will finally be expanding ringtone options on the Nest Doorbell.

Google launched its first new Nest Cam in years in August, but the lineup is still in the process of expanding. A new Nest Cam with Floodlight has been scheduled for some time now, and it has just unexpectedly started shipping from Best Buy ahead of the Google Store release.

All consumer tech requires good consumer support, and Google today just revamped its “Nest Community” where people can get help by posting questions.

Google’s latest home security cameras ditch the aging Nest app and focus solely on the Google Home app, but what about users with older cameras too? Google has confirmed that the Home app will start showing Nest notifications for all cameras… at some point.

Google and Sonos have been engaged in a semi-public feud over the past couple of years, which has seen some legal battles as well. Following a lawsuit started in early 2020, a preliminary ruling has been passed down that accuses Google of infringing on several Sonos patents.

The new Nest Cam (battery) and Doorbell (battery) will launch on August 24 in several countries, and ahead of that Google has released videos showing the set-up process. We also get to see more of the Nest Cam with floodlight variant.

One emerging critique of Google’s new camera lineup is focused on how the magnetic-only nature of Nest Cam (battery) means it can be easily stolen. A third-party Anti-Theft Mount is sold separately, but Google also maintains a Cam replacement policy. 

The last security camera to come out of Google’s Nest brand was the Hello doorbell over three years ago. Google today announced a successor with the Nest Doorbell.

With the current lineup featuring a model that dates back to 2015, Google’s security cameras are in sore need of a refresh. That call is now being answered with a new Nest Cam line that’s comprised of three devices.

At the start of this year, Google said it would release a new security camera lineup in 2021. A leak, courtesy of the Google Store, this afternoon reveals a “Nest Doorbell” and trio of new Nest Cam models.