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Apps Thermo Watch - control your Nest Thermostat

ButteryScrollin said:
love the Siri Shortcuts update !
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Thank you! Yes, the update is out, and at long last it's possible to control Nest using Siri without weird workarounds, and also get a nice feedback to see and hear what happened after your command.

This app update has been in review for five days (not waiting for review - the actual review took them five days!), which has never happened before, so I've been biting my nails all along. I think, half-jokingly that someone at Apple was going - "Well... we did say that shortcuts can be used for anything, but we don't want it used for this", :D
I tried once before to sneak-in Siri support into this app by making it send "messages" to Nest. It worked just fine, but Apple shut it down a few minutes into a review.

So glad this is finally possible - and note that once the shortcuts are created, you can use Siri on your Watch and even on your HomePod to control the Nest. Watch can be alone on LTE, and it will still work btw.
 
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I tried setting a fav temp. When I run the shortcut Siri says "sorry there was a problem with the app" any clues on where to look for troubleshooting?
 
ButteryScrollin said:
I tried setting a fav temp. When I run the shortcut Siri says "sorry there was a problem with the app" any clues on where to look for troubleshooting?
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Try making sure that the shortcut works through the regular Siri-speech first. Just try saying "Hey siri, <your phrase>" and see if the temperature is set correctly. I've just found out that there is some problem right now when running shortcuts through the shortcut app, but the voice control has been working correctly for me and some other users who contacted me already.
 
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I set up several shortcuts using the app and they work fine using my phone, does the shortcuts only work using the phone, when I ask Siri on the watch or HomePod she tells me that what I have requested is not a function of that device
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YatBob said:
I set up several shortcuts using the app and they work fine using my phone, does the shortcuts only work using the phone, when I ask Siri on the watch or HomePod she tells me that what I have requested is not a function of that device
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Just tried it today after reading where there were Siri issues last night, and it works on watch and HomePod
 
YatBob said:
I set up several shortcuts using the app and they work fine using my phone, does the shortcuts only work using the phone, when I ask Siri on the watch or HomePod she tells me that what I have requested is not a function of that device
[doublepost=1537459609][/doublepost]

Just tried it today after reading where there were Siri issues last night, and it works on watch and HomePod
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I think it just takes a bit of time for shortcuts to synchronize over to the watch and homepod.

Also, I have realized there is a problem right now executing shortcuts through the Shortcuts app. Voice control works fine, but these shortcuts can't be used in the Shortcuts workflow. The problem is fixed and I've submitted the update for the review already.

ButteryScrollin said:
yeah it was through Siri.
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Could it be that your thermostat was in the "Off" mode? It needs to be in the Heat or Cool mode for the temperature setting to work. Can you also try some other shortcut, like increasing or decreasing the temperature? Do any of them work?
 
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I have now released the 9.1 version of the app, which adds the support for running the shortcuts through the Shortcut app workflow.Now onto updating Watch Cam with all this stuff :)
 
Just bought this for the siri shortcuts but disappointed to find I can't use the app to control my hot water boost at all.

Any plans to add this feature? Would love to be able to ask siri to just boost the hot water.
 
Marconelly said:
I have now released the 9.1 version of the app, which adds the support for running the shortcuts through the Shortcut app workflow.Now onto updating Watch Cam with all this stuff :)
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Thanks for really seeing the value in Shortcuts. @MakerOfCARROT also. You guys are leading the way on this. Want to see big guys (retailers and coffee places esp) get on this too. So far, not so much.

Will we see Siri Suggestions from the app now? Somethings long the lines of: “You seem to turn on the heat when it reaches this temp a lot. Turn it on now for you?”
 
I’ve just purchased this app and when I launch on the Apple Watch it gets stuck at Authorizing and then says to make sure my watch is connected to my phone, which is it. Any ideas?
 
jimmyjoy said:
I’ve just purchased this app and when I launch on the Apple Watch it gets stuck at Authorizing and then says to make sure my watch is connected to my phone, which is it. Any ideas?
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You are most likely experiencing a kind of problem where the phone and the watch get de-synced in some way on the OS level - and it seems to only affect 3rd party apps. Usually, the problem solves itself if you just restart your phone and your watch. In rare cases, you might have to unpair, and re-pair watch with the phone.

gwhizkids said:
Thanks for really seeing the value in Shortcuts. @MakerOfCARROT also. You guys are leading the way on this. Want to see big guys (retailers and coffee places esp) get on this too. So far, not so much.
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Thank you. I've been waiting for this opportunity (to somehow use Siri) for a very long time now. Another unexpected cool thing was that the large rectangular complication allows for any graphic to be loaded on it. That's kind of crazy liberating compared to what was possible to put onto watch face before. I'm using it on the upcoming Watch Cam update to put a real live camera snapshots onto watch face. Only problem is snapshots update only every few minutes - but still, it feels pretty cool.

Will we see Siri Suggestions from the app now? Somethings long the lines of: “You seem to turn on the heat when it reaches this temp a lot. Turn it on now for you?”
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They should be appearing, but I'm not sure if there's some bug in the iOS12 that's preventing them. I have yet to see any suggestions from any 3rd party apps, so I kind of think the feature may not work right now. I did implement this feature - not with the level of sophistication you've described (I don't think it's possible to do it like that yet), but it should be at least offering to start heating in cold months, and cooling in hot months of the year. So far however, I haven't seen suggestions appear.
 
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The App would not open on my Watch 4 today. It was stuck initializing. Same for iPhone App.

I determined that the WiFi network at work was blocking the App from communicating. I don't have this issue with the official Nest App. Switched to LTE and all good.

This is the only watch app that is blocked by my work wi-fi network. So what is this App attempting to do that my company believes is a security risk?
 
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gwhizkids said:
@Marconelly Awesome update today with geofencing for Nest Thermostat. They have it, but no notifications. You rock!
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Thank you! I know they have it, but it literally never worked for me. Several other Nest owners claimed the same - how it never works, or if it worked, it was with hours of delay - so they were never sure if it was actually thermostat's motion sensors that detected no one's at home, and set the Away state.
 
Marconelly said:
Thank you! I know they have it, but it literally never worked for me. Several other Nest owners claimed the same - how it never works, or if it worked, it was with hours of delay - so they were never sure if it was actually thermostat's motion sensors that detected no one's at home, and set the Away state.
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I think it worked for me as my thermostats do go to away when I leave. But I don't get notified about it. And it doesn't seem to be working for family members, as it will go to Away if I'm gone but someone else is still home.

Also have to say that your Watch complication is on my Infograph face and is probably the complication/app I use more than any other on my Watch. In my mind, you captured the essence of a great Apple Watch App: info readily viewable and actionable.
 
@Marconelly
Do you yet know what the Google/Nest automation announcement from today means for your app? Will it continue to work?
If not, do you have intentions of finding a new way to make it work? I love this app (and the Watch Cam app) and hope to continue to support you in their functions.
 
Well, the announcement, on the face value, seems pretty grim. The existing API will stop working on Sep. 1, and the new API that they have doesn't seem to offer the kind of functionality needed for these apps to work. I'm still waiting on a reply from the dev support contact that kept me in the loop the last few years, and has generally been a great person to deal with. But if they don't suggest some kind of option that I'm not seeing on Google's public info site right now, or if Google doesn't quickly decide to add a Nest API to the mix of what they offer now, I guess I'll have to sunset the apps. In some of the news articles around latest Google announcement, I've read that Nest/Google will work with current "Works With Nest" partners (which is what I am) to move over to "Works With Assistant".
Keep in mind - this API's closure will affect even giants like Amazon Echo/Alexa products, which will lose the ability to control Nest, so I hope they put some pressure on Google.

Otherwise, the only option I see right now that could keep this type of apps working is to operate outside of Nest's official jurisdiction, like some apps on the Mac App store do - they pretty much offer a wrapper for home.nest.com website with some features created by scraping the web page structure. It would be possible to use similar methods to keep this kind of app working, at least in theory. To be honest, I was always a bit surprised that Nest allowed that kind of app to exist, but I guess they don't really care. Or rather didn't care before, but now who knows.

For a while now, I've been toying with the idea of re-purposing this app to work with Ecobee and Z-Wave thermostats also, so I might start working on that now.
 
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Marconelly said:
Well, the announcement, on the face value, seems pretty grim. The existing API will stop working on Sep. 1, and the new API that they have doesn't seem to offer the kind of functionality needed for these apps to work. I'm still waiting on a reply from the dev support contact that kept me in the loop the last few years, and has generally been a great person to deal with. But if they don't suggest some kind of option that I'm not seeing on Google's public info site right now, or if Google doesn't quickly decide to add a Nest API to the mix of what they offer now, I guess I'll have to sunset the apps. In some of the news articles around latest Google announcement, I've read that Nest/Google will work with current "Works With Nest" partners (which is what I am) to move over to "Works With Assistant".
Keep in mind - this API's closure will affect even giants like Amazon Echo/Alexa products, which will lose the ability to control Nest, so I hope they put some pressure on Google.

Otherwise, the only option I see right now that could keep this type of apps working is to operate outside of Nest's official jurisdiction, like some apps on the Mac App store do - they pretty much offer a wrapper for home.nest.com website with some features created by scraping the web page structure. It would be possible to use similar methods to keep this kind of app working, at least in theory. To be honest, I was always a bit surprised that Nest allowed that kind of app to exist, but I guess they don't really care. Or rather didn't care before, but now who knows.

For a while now, I've been toying with the idea of re-purposing this app to work with Ecobee and Z-Wave thermostats also, so I might start working on that now.
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This will be too bad, if it comes to pass. This app is, without a doubt, the complication I use more than any other on my Watch and is also my most frequently used iPhone widget. I get what Google says it is doing (and also what it really is doing (pushing people to its Assistant infrastructure). This is what I dislike most about walled gardens. Nest is a great product and it’s app is ok. But without Watch, widget or Siri Shortcut support, it’s not as attractive as before.
 
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gwhizkids said:
This will be too bad, if it comes to pass. This app is, without a doubt, the complication I use more than any other on my Watch and is also my most frequently used iPhone widget. I get what Google says it is doing (and also what it really is doing (pushing people to its Assistant infrastructure). This is what I dislike most about walled gardens. Nest is a great product and it’s app is ok. But without Watch, widget or Siri Shortcut support, it’s not as attractive as before.
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I will get rid of my Nest if they truly sunset this without the opportunity for the app to continue to work. It is the only Google/Nest hardware so its easier to switch to Ecobee/others. I’ve truly loved using the Thermo Watch app and will gladly support its future development on this or any other platform.
 
Today, Google decided to somewhat revert their decision on shutting down the Works With Nest program:

https://blog.google/products/google-nest/updates-works-with-nest/

First, we’re committed to supporting the integrations you value and minimizing disruptions during this transition, so here’s our updated plan for retiring WWN:
  • Your existing devices and integrations will continue working with your Nest Account, however you won’t have access to new features that will be available with a Google Account. If we make changes to the existing WWN connections available to you with your Nest Account, we will make sure to keep you informed.
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This is really good news for the existing users of my app, as it means that as long as you stay on your existing Nest account, and don't migrate it over to a Google account, the app will continue working indefinitely, the same way it always has.

Of course, I will do my best to apply for this new security screening that Google provides now, so I can update the apps in a way that it allows new users to join past August 31.

There's a good analysis of this new announcement here:
https://www.cnet.com/news/google-re...-works-with-nest-connections/?linkId=67471322
 
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This is great news! I'm not quite as deep in the Nest ecosystem as I am Apple, but close...
 
Marconelly said:
Well, it looks like Google just killed the Apple Watch Nest app. I just checked my watch, and sure enough it's gone after the today's Nest app update.

https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/10/20689455/nest-app-wear-os-apple-watch-discontinued-google

They killed the Android Watch Nest app as well today.
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Too bad but....

gwhizkids said:
That’s a bummer. iPhone still working.
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If this is the case it should be possible for a workaround when you're near to your iPhone....
 
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