Google Acquiring Tony Fadell-Founded Nest for $3.2 Billion

[ugahairydawgs]

.....and so ends these things being for sale in the Apple Store.

 

[Navdakilla]

Crazy,

Google taking the home automation battle to the next level

 

[Kavier]

Ugh...there goes any interest I had in buying a Nest. I doubt they will be run as a completely separate company for long, and I am sure they will eventually share personal info.

 

[Harmonious Zen]

Am I the only one who doesn't see $3 billion of value in a thermostat company? Is there more to this company than meets the eye? The valuation seems just a tad inflated.

 

[atsang]

This might save Android support though.

Was android support ever in doubt? The app is exactly the same on both platforms, released at the same exact time.

 

[lilo777]

Better than getting advertisements for viagra or cialis?

I dunno what you are Googling, but those ads aren't popping up for me

It's not about what you are googling. It's about who you are. You must be a female or you are young. In the latter case, wait until you hit 50 then those ads will find you regardless of what you are googling

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Fadell already said that they will keep supporting iOS. And it doesn't make any sense for Google to drop support for iOS. Google wants as much data as they can get. There are many iOS users with Nest products at home.

You might be right. But will Apple keep Nest in the Apple stores?

 

[britboyj]

Am I the only one who doesn't see $3 billion of value in a thermostat company? Is there more to this company than meets the eye? The valuation seems just a tad inflated.

They just released an amazing new smoke-CO2/CO detector thing. They've got products in the pipeline that include other oft-sucky home things. I wouldn't be shocked to see a Nest sprinkler control system soon. I hope.

 

[vrDrew]

Am I the only one who doesn't see $3 billion of value in a thermostat company?

Its a lot more likely than Facebook paying $1 billion for Instagram.

I think Google saw a lot more than thermostats and smoke detectors in Nest. You know that whole "Internet of Things" the tech press keeps rambling on about - Nest has come a lot closer than anyone else to making it mainstream and consumer-orientated.

Samsung, with their network-enabled refrigerators, shows how badly tech companies can do it. Nest, by discovering and perfecting niches, seems to have shown the way.

 

[dojoman]

Would Apple Store still sell these after Google buys it? It sure seems like something Apple should have bought, not Google.

 

[prowlmedia]

RIP iOS compatibility

Nah Google are all about the Data. iOS gets everything else and sometimes it's better than google on Droid.

 

[147798]

wow, I sure am glad I never bought into anything from Nest yet. I had planned to, but now I would need to create a Google+ account to change the temperature in my house.

Was going to type the same thing, but there it is.

Google is evil.

 

[prowlmedia]

Good job, Tim Cook! As usual, Asleep at the Helm. https://www.facebook.com/FireTimCook

Oh you mean with the non-stop increasing sales and profit... Yeah that's shocking.

This is a stupid buy. It's a 3.2 Billion thermostat. That is insane. Honeywell has most of the patents to so anything actually useful with the thermostat anyways.

 

[bkushner]

These will be gone from the Apple stores very soon.

 

[SirLance99]

This creeps the hell out of me. No way I want Google inside my house. Major disappointment in Nest management Still considering options ... close Nest account .... sell Nest thermostats. Wow, I feel like someone has just broken in to my home ... and Nest gave 'em the key!

Boo.... You get scared that Apple knows everything that you do as well?

 

[prowlmedia]

Disney bought Marvel for four billion and just Avengers and Iron Man have made 2.7 billion worldwide. It's not hard to see how they'll make their money back and more.

Obviously Google thinks the Nest technology and talent can potentially go into a number of new products since they'd never make back that 3.2 billion just on selling smoke detectors and thermostats. I wonder if nest has products in development that Google was excited about or if they're just using their imagination.

Regardless, it's hard to feel bad for Apple not trying to outbid this. For 3.2 billion it seems like they could develop their own products that are as good as these or better.

Or maybe the nest folks have some patents that Google sees a lot of value in?

It has to be future products. The nest and smoke detector is nice but not remotely worth that on it's own.

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Am I the only one who doesn't see $3 billion of value in a thermostat company? Is there more to this company than meets the eye? The valuation seems just a tad inflated.

Um... no I think there is about 7 pages of that before you. and a page of idiots blaming Tim Cook for not spending 3.2 Billion on a device that measures temperature.

 

[Benguitar]

Something tells me that Apple will no longer sell Nest products in their stores because of this.

 

[old-wiz]

Wonder what happens to the people that work at Nest? It seems so common that when a small company is bought out by a much bigger company that the company ethic/atmosphere changes for the worst. Good managers get replaced by managers from the buyer, new work rules come out demanding more "productivity", company perks get eliminated in the name of cutting costs, and the camaraderie of the founding group goes out the window. "Redundant" departments like HR, Payroll, Accounting get axed and the buyer's corresponding departments take over.

I would expect that about 20-25% of the people now working at Nest will either leave on their own or be let go. It can be really bad if the top tech people decide to leave and start over with something new.

Google basically bought the IP of Nest and will simply push it to their own groups. I doubt Google seriously plans to keep most of the Nest workers.

 

[Madmic23]

Then I found out that they couldn't switch 230VAC. Kind of eliminates most of the combi boiler systems in the Uk at least?

You could try an EcoBee. That's what I have in my home. I wanted a Nest, but the HVAC contractor doesn't work with them. I later found out that most HVAC contractors hate the Nest because it cuts out the middle man.

Anyways, the EcoBee is said to be much more full featured, working with a larger variety of heating systems. Check it out.

 

[dlbyrd]

Greed !!!!!!

Tony and Matt are 2 greedy SOB's !!!! They have truly let the industry down. All google will do is destroy the greatest thermostat and the greatest detector every invented.

[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Google is acquiring Nest, the smart-home appliance maker that is behind the Nest Thermostat and the Nest Protect smoke detector, for a reported $3.2 billion in cash.

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iPod co-creator Tony Fadell is the co-founder of the company alongside another former Apple employee, Matt Rogers. Nest tweeted that it will operate independent of Google.

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According to Re/code, Nest has raised more than $80 million in venture funding and was scheduled to close another $150 million round soon.

Update: Nest has posted an article about what will happen to the company going forward, and perhaps most importantly, addressing what customer data will be shared with Google:
Re/code reports that Google was the only serious bidder for Nest and Apple was not interested in the company.

Article Link: Google Acquiring Tony Fadell-Founded Nest for $3.2 Billion

 

[PracticalMac]

Google has always given support to iOS. Don't be absurd with your sensationalism.

If this was the other way around, I'd be concerned.

Support /= all features.

Google Apps on Android have more then iOS versions.

That said, its also true what you said.

 

[ownamac]

Google wanted Nest's dev talent, any patents, and registered users.

This acquisition helps validate the market for such devices. Competitors, including potentially Apple, may pursue competing with Google in this market segment.

 

[Chastepe]

I believe the only reason they bought the company must be that Google wants to plant some kind of surveillance bugs inside these home appliances.

 

[DesterWallaboo]

Yeesh. We already own Nest thermostats and were looking to buy several Protects for our home this upcoming weekend. Just put that plan on ice.

Already wrote Nest an unhappy letter. Not that it will make any difference. But at least they will know that their decision has some consequences, even if the loss of sales from myself is just a drop in the bucket.

Google is first, and foremost, a data mining company. I will be surprised if Google doesn't change Nest's policy on how which data is collected and shared.

I'm pulling our current thermostats off of WiFi tonight. What a bummer losing all of the great reports and remote access.

 

[kalex]

There is no chance they stop supporting iOS. Nest is almost entirely just a US company. Their target customer is probably much more likely to be an iOS user than an Android user. I'd guess 5 to 1 more likely.
Nest products are for folks who are not cost conscious and who like well designed products. They are targeting Apple customers with a heavily Apple based strategy. You can even see the Apple influences in the design. So they will continue to fully support iOS. This might save Android support though.

Paying $3.2 billion in cash seems incredible though.

And android users don't like well designed products?
I'm an android user and I have 3 nests in my house.
Its a nice product but not open enough ( i guess thats where your "apple influence" comment comes in. I would like for it to be more open and allow better integration with other products and services.

 

[osofast240sx]

Would Apple Store still sell these after Google buys it? It sure seems like something Apple should have bought, not Google.

Not for 3.2 billion. Besides they were made an offer they couldn't refuse! A show of hands who would have turned down that offer!? That's what I thought!