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Nest has been one of the pioneers of connected home technology ever since the launch of its learning thermostat in 2011. Consumers love it because it just works, and now the company has a lot of different products that work in connection with others. Nest developed a proprietary protocol called Nest Weave to create the platform for all connected devices. And in a new announcement, Nest is making Works with Nest programs open to developers and third-party hardware makers for use in their products.
The initial launch partners include companies like P&G, GE’s lighting controls, Hunter Douglas, Philips Hue, iHome and Lutron Electronics. The new Camera API has also been made open-source so that developers can build on the Nest Cam as well. Before this, developers could utilize Nest’s cloud API to access Nest products that was easy to implement but was restricted by WiFi access. Works with Nest was launched over a year ago. It now boasts a developer base of over 11,000 strong. And according to their official blog, 1 in 8 home connected to Nest has Works with Nest up and running. Works with Nest makes home automation not only smart but thoughtful as well.
The problem Nest was running into with the closed access API is that not every device can access the internet to tap into Nest cloud and access the devices connected to Nest, allowing it to be a truly connected home automation system. Small devices like a smart lock, which are low powered, cannot be connected to the internet due to their limitations in form factor. Nest Weave now allows devices to interact directly with each other and to Nest without the dependency on Internet. This is a significant development for Nest as it is now more secure, reliable and compact, and works with all kinds of products without any time delay, and even with devices that run on battery power, like a door lock.
Nest has also built a Works with Nest store that makes it easier for users to find out about new home automated products that work with nest, and allow the developers to publish their apps as well, built on Nest API. The company has not provided a launch date, but according to their blog, it is coming soon.