Google will end support for Nest Secure and Dropcam in one year. This is April 8, 2024. These Nest products are the last to be brought over to Google Home. Their demise suggests that the new Google Home application may almost be available. It’s only a year away. Surely.
Google is also closing down legacy Works with Nest connections but not before September 29th.
Dropcam enjoyed a great run
Dropcam cameras that are still in use will continue to work until April 8, 2024. After that, you won’t have access to them via the Nest app. Dropcam owners who have Nest Aware subscriptions will receive a free Nest Cam indoor wired. Non-subscribers will receive a 50% discount coupon. You can continue using your Dropcam up to May 7, 2024.
Dropcam (fka Dropcam HD ) was released in 2012 and the Dropcam PRO in 2013.. After Google purchased Nest and Nest purchased Dropcam. Google created Alphabet in 2015 and spun Nest out. For a time, Nest and Google were each making smart home products. In 2018, Google took over Nest. It has been a mess trying to integrate Nest products with the Google Home app, and killing off those that aren’t.
Dropcam and Nest Secure are being discontinued. The Nest Protect smart smoke alarms remain the only Nest App-only devices. Google has promised that they will be available in the new Google Home app. Although the updated app is available in public preview since October, there’s no set date.
It is possible that there are some people who purchased the first Dropcam in 2010. then traded it in for an HD Dropcam HD in 2015. and now they are going to trade that for a Nest Cam. This is a great customer service idea, but it’s not very e-waste friendly. Google will send you a prepaid recycling container if asked.
Nest Secure, we almost didn’t know you
Nest Secure had a less enviable start and an easier offramp. It was launched in 2017 and was canceled 3 years later after Google had invested lots of money into ADT. It will continue to function until April 8, 2024 like the Dropcam. However, Google would love you to upgrade it before then. According to Google,
This would be the ADT self-setup system Google announced last Wednesday. It includes an ADT smart home hub and two window/door sensors. A motion sensor is also included. One year of free monitoring is included. This promotion is valid until May 7, 2024. Although it is better than a kick in your pants, I doubt that Nest Secure buyers are ready to return to traditional security companies. (Maybe they’ve changed! Google states that you can cancel the $20/month monitoring fee for self-setup systems at any time. Google Home is a good option for the ADT system.
Nest will not work with you
Google essentially shut down the Works With Nest program in 2019 to make way for Works With Google Assistant. However, it allowed existing connections to continue to work. The official closing date for this door is September 29, 2023. Ruchi Desai is the Group Product Manager at Google Nest. He stated to The Verge that all WWN connections would be affected. This includes legacy Alexa skills, legacy Google Assistant integrations, and all legacy Nest integrations (IFTTT, Lutron etc.). Individual developers who use the WWN platform for their solutions.
Many legacy Works with Nest integrations are now available to replace with Google Assistant. However, not all of them seem to have been replaced with the current Alexa skill. Not all features of IFTTT integration appear to be available in the new replacement. Google says the Google had previously pledged to support Nest products for at most five years. It met that standard. It’s difficult to argue that Dropcams are worthless if you have been using them for over a decade. The new one is better. But, on the other side, if the hardware is still working, why shouldn’t it continue working?
But if I were a Nest Secure owner, I would be mad! No one wants to purchase a new security system if they don’t have to. Having to get an ADT new one feels like salt in the wound, even though it is only a year away.
It’s wonderful that Google Home and Nest are almost merged. The headwinds were certainly significant, I’m sure! When the new Google Home app arrives, I look forward to it. I wish they would fix the Nest Hub Max interface.
Correction April 7, 2023 at 11:53 EST: A line incorrectly stated that Google had discontinued support for the Nest Guard sensor and Nest x Yale lock in 2022. Although the Matter update to the Nest Hub Max eliminated the ability to connect these devices to the Hub Max via thread, they can still be connected through the Nest Connect device which Google provided for no cost to anyone who was affected by the update. We are sorry for the error.
