Nest Thermostat Gaining Apple HomeKit Support Starting Today via Matter

[sou1 so1di3r]

dang literally just installed 2 nest learning thermostats gen 3 in my new house. They're the older model but dang. Oh well honestly I NEVER use HomeKit to adjust my thermostat at my other place with an ecobee, so it's kinda whatever. Ring thou, sheesh which they would add that

 

[jayhawk2112]

Only the cheap, new Nest Thermostats are compatible. They're the ones with the touch sensitive bezel that doesn't spin.

LOL that’s Google for ya!
Thanks. Too bad I’d like to enable this just to use Siri (without the Homebridge overhead)

 

[sbrhwkp3]

What about the Smoke/CO2 detectors?

 

[stocklen]

oh, and in the UK we only get the "learning" and the "E" so.... thats a NO to us then.

 

[nt5672]

I have had a Nest thermostat since 2012. I think it was the original model. Still working fine. I use the Nest app without problems. I’m not I have much to gain by going through the Home app.

Me too. It works fine, just setting on the shelf, so Google cannot monitor me.

 

[Stromos]

Only the cheap, new Nest Thermostats are compatible. They're the ones with the touch sensitive bezel that doesn't spin.

Well sad news… but thank you!

dang literally just installed 2 nest learning thermostats gen 3 in my new house. They're the older model but dang. Oh well honestly I NEVER use HomeKit to adjust my thermostat at my other place with an ecobee, so it's kinda whatever. Ring thou, sheesh which they would add that

LOL that’s Google for ya!
Thanks. Too bad I’d like to enable this just to use Siri (without the Homebridge overhead)

oh, and in the UK we only get the "learning" and the "E" so.... thats a NO to us then.

The update is very specifically for the 2020 Nest Thermostat, however. Matter support is still being evaluated for the Learning Thermostat and Thermostat E.

"We're working to bring Matter to as many Google Home surfaces as possible, and we'll be enabling more Nest devices, like Nest Thermostat, in 2023," says the company.

Either they will be included or 2024 Nest gets the boot in my house. There is some tiny hope though.

 

[UltimaKilo]

I would guess this is good for some people, but most on HomeKit just bought the Ecobee by now, which is a superior product anyway.

 

[RodThePlod]

I have my Ring doorbell integrated into HomeKit through Homebridge too! That also works surprisingly well. Homebridge is really awesome if you have a computer that stays on 24/7.

I'd heard about Homebridge but, at the time, I didn't have a computer that was on constantly. Plus the websites I'd looked at said the implementation was a little flaky, so I discounted the idea (and forgot about it, TBH).

I do now have an Intel NUC mini PC that I use as a Plex server mainly. That runs Linux and is on all the time so... I guess I might look at running Homebridge on that. Sod's Law, though: As soon as I get that up and running, Ring will announce Matter or HomeKit support...

 

[Truckondo]

Did Hell freeze over or something? I’m still using my original Nest from around 2012. I doubt they will update that one. I just wish they would release an updated non cheap model.

 

[WilliamG]

I have the original Nest thermostat and use Starling Hub for HomeKit integration. It is flawless.

I do, too. It's by far the most reliable and foolproof and best supported integration method, and I still use HomeBridge for everything else.

 

[NCPine]

If you have the older Nest, check out a little hardware box called Starling Home Hub. Starling.io bridges Nest to work just fine with Siri and it's been working fine for years. You don't need to update your Nest hardware. The older Nest app is lightyears beyond the new Google Home UX anyways.

 

[NCPine]

Did Hell freeze over or something? I’m still using my original Nest from around 2012. I doubt they will update that one. I just wish they would release an updated non cheap model.

Check out Starling Hub for an easy answer to all your problems!

 

[stocklen]

The update is very specifically for the 2020 Nest Thermostat, however. Matter support is still being evaluated for the Learning Thermostat and Thermostat E.

"We're working to bring Matter to as many Google Home surfaces as possible, and we'll be enabling more Nest devices, like Nest Thermostat, in 2023," says the company.

Either they will be included or 2024 Nest gets the boot in my house. There is some tiny hope though.

its incredibly subtle but to me...

"Google is "exploring" adding Matter support to older Nest thermostats, according to The Verge, but they remain incompatible with HomeKit for now."

does not seem anywhere near as positive as the way youve put it. Your quote makes me think it WILL happen this year... and Macrumors/The Verge seems like "exploring" is far from assured.

 

[stocklen]

If you have the older Nest, check out a little hardware box called Starling Home Hub. Starling.io bridges Nest to work just fine with Siri and it's been working fine for years. You don't need to update your Nest hardware. The older Nest app is lightyears beyond the new Google Home UX anyways.

Frankly, and im sure I speak for many people here...


I have NO intention of adding yet another box or widget or cable or power brick ANYWHERE in my home - not when the device that its supporting should be capable of natively integrating into my Home app of choice.

Sure, it would certainly be a pain to replace a thermostat - but its neater in the long run to do so.

 

[torontotim]

Frankly, and im sure I speak for many people here...


I have NO intention of adding yet another box or widget or cable or power brick ANYWHERE in my home - not when the device that its supporting should be capable of natively integrating into my Home app of choice.

Sure, it would certainly be a pain to replace a thermostat - but its neater in the long run to do so.

Sure, if you're only talking about a single device like a thermostat, it makes perfect sense to replace it with a HomeKit supported model if it's that important to you.

But of course, if you only have a single device like a thermostat that is already supported by a reasonable app like the Nest app, then why bother lifting a finger or spending a dime to move it to HomeKit.

I have the Starling hub and through it I can access my Nest thermostat, Nest Doorbell and multiple Nest cameras.

Frankly, having it integrated into Apple Home isn't all that important even with all those devices, as there isn't much added value relative to the native Nest app. But I was curious to see how well it would work so I grabbed one and plugged it in. Works like a charm.

 

[avkills]

Google has a history of making stuff and then axing support for it later. Why would anyone in the know actually buy anything like this from Google?

 

[Felder71]

I use Homebridge for my alarm system and garage door opener and it is next to flawless. I pretty much have forgotten that they are not Homekit native. That said, I definitely prefer Homekit native if at all possible and I was finally looking at getting thermostats so now maybe the Nest is a good option. Waiting to see how well they work after the updates.

EDIT - One thing Homebridge is no good for is HomeKit Secure Video. You can't make Ring cameras support that no matter what. So getting compatible cameras is best.

 

[HowEver]

The Nest app for the older model works great.

Although every week it asks if it should join a Google account rather than a Nest account. Hell, no.

 

[Aston441]

Good thing this isn't happening in the middle of winter 🥶

 

[Jdizzle188]

I decided long ago the if Google chooses to not activate Matter on the learning thermostat 3 (even though it has the thread radio) that I will rip out everything Nest in my house. I do not want the cheap toy/spy device Google put out with the Nest logo. I will remove the smoke detectors, doorbell, and Thermostats going into 2024. I hope they upgrade the Gen3 learning thermostat.

You and me both, but try being in the UK with the Gen3 learning thermostat.... No software updates in over 2 years or maybe more

 

[zorinlynx]

I've had an Ecobee one for a while, and having it in HomeKit is awesome!

I love how fast it is. Like, I get home and literally say "Hey siri, set HVAC home" and the unit instantly turns on.

 

[alexandr]

I love how fast it is. Like, I get home and literally say "Hey siri, set HVAC home" and the unit instantly turns on.

I don't even say anything — it knows whether I'm home or not

 

[stocklen]

Sure, if you're only talking about a single device like a thermostat, it makes perfect sense to replace it with a HomeKit supported model if it's that important to you.

But of course, if you only have a single device like a thermostat that is already supported by a reasonable app like the Nest app, then why bother lifting a finger or spending a dime to move it to HomeKit.

I have the Starling hub and through it I can access my Nest thermostat, Nest Doorbell and multiple Nest cameras.

Frankly, having it integrated into Apple Home isn't all that important even with all those devices, as there isn't much added value relative to the native Nest app. But I was curious to see how well it would work so I grabbed one and plugged it in. Works like a charm.

Of course.

Its more for integration and automations for me.

I have what I would consider a "legacy" Amazon Echo setup - which ive drastically slimmed down since moving to HomePods and HomeKit as much as possible.... I therefore want all my smart home devices to work natively in HomeKit.

However I still have to keep some echo devices around purely because some very handy home automations can only currently be done using Alexa because my thermostat and Ring alarm are both so far Matter hold-outs.

I would much prefer to have all my automations and scenes running under HomeKit so I dont have to think twice about whether I need to say "hey Siri" or "Alexa".

Unfortunately when you are talking about scenes and automations... for me at least the most useful ones are those that explicitly control the heating and the alarm (i.e. heaving the house and turning the heating off and arming the alarm).

 

[dontwalkhand]

Can someone tell me if any Nest thermostat has a "dumb" mode where it just lets a human set the temperature? I want the connectivity (check and change the temperature from my ipad) but not the smart features (it uses an algorithm to change the temperature on its own.)

I don't know about Nest, but every other smart thermostat is default in a "dumb" mode, and it gives you connectivity features, just the way I like it. I just want to be able to set the temp from my phone, and don't want it to "learn" anything.

 

[randomnut]

Shame that the learning thermostat seems to have been put out to pasture, despite them still selling it even today.