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In August, the Google Home app added support for the first-gen Nest Cam Indoor (2015) through a Public Preview program. A similar preview program is now available for the first-gen wired Nest Cam Outdoor (2016). The program is live for some users and will gradually roll out to more users over the next few weeks.
Your first-gen Nest Cam Outdoor is now compatible with Google Home
To bring your first-gen Nest Cam Outdoor to the Google Home app, you first have to join the preview program. Open the app and go to Settings > Public Preview. Now, tap on Join Public Preview and wait for a notification asking you to confirm your decision. Once you have confirmed, a Preview icon will appear at the top of the screen.
After you join the program, you will receive a prompt in the Favorites Tab with instructions on transferring your camera from the Nest app to the Google Home app. Since this is a gradual rollout, you might have to wait a week or two for the prompt to appear. Until then, you can’t transfer your Nest Cam Outdoor to Google Home.
Once the transfer is complete, your camera will not be available in the Nest app. You can manage it in the Home app alongside other devices. You will get access to the new features offered by Google Home, including the updated camera history experience that lets you quickly switch between timeline and event list views.
The Nest app will preserve your previous camera history, which will be available until it expires. However, you won’t see the camera live view in it, so nothing new will appear. If you like the Nest app better, you can transfer your camera back to it. You have to simply exit the preview program in Google Home and follow the instructions. You can leave the program by going to Settings > Public Preview or tapping the Preview icon at the top.
Google Home will add support for more old products
According to Google, “older cameras other than Nest Cam Outdoor will remain in the Nest app until we support their ability to transfer to the Home app.” Devices other than cameras will also be gradually moved to Home, “one device at a time.” Since each device is unique, it requires lots of work before migrating them from the Nest app. As Google notes, there is no change to the Nest app today, so you can continue to use it as it is.