I have found myself learning more and more about home security systems, and I was wondering which would be a good fit, I decided to check out Nest. I wanted to share with you some information that I had found out about the company.
What company owns Nest? The company that owns Nest is Google. They acquired the company from Nest Labs in 2014 and continue to manage and own it today. They offer a number of home security devices that can all be connected with the Google hardware. They purchased it for $3.2 billion.
I wanted to know more about the company, so I did some more research that is below. There’s some interesting things about this company, so keep reading.
The Founders
When Nest Labs was first brought into the spotlight in 2011 by their introduction of the Nest Interactive Thermostat, Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers were the owners.
Tony Fadell is known for creating the iPod, so with the introduction of something such as this thermostat, it wouldn’t be surprising if this came into play. Matt Rogers also worked for Apple, helping to create the iPhone, so with the information and technology they were used to would be fairly easy to create and implement into this company.
Since their first product, Nest now offers a range of devices. Doorbells, thermostats, cameras, locks, alarm systems, and a smoke and CO alarm.
They were all about creating a connected home, so when Google offered them money for their company, they trusted that they would be able to do just that, and Google has.
Fadell had stepped down as the CEO of Nest when it was bought by Google. He was a little frustrated with the fact that there wasn’t really anything more than the investment had created. They simply did a re-branding of Nest, hired more people, did a redo of the drop cam, but there was very little offered.
There were many products that they had been working, including something similar to the Google Home, but it never saw the light of day.
Google also works with a company called Alphabet–which is basically a website that’s full of companies, with the biggest being Google. Together, they have taken Nest under their wing to try and create something beautiful. They strive to have a smart home, they strive to make it so you feel safe.
That’s something that’s so important to Nest, before they were even purchased by Google, they had the desire to make everything in the home work together and create a little safe haven for families.
Making a Connected Home
One thing that had been since the beginning was that they wanted to have the products be able to interact and keep you safe in your home. After all, that’s what you bought them for.
The devices are able to communicate with each other and change based on that communications. You can also add the Google Assistant to the Nest and then you’ll be able to simply talk and raise or lower the temperature.
The only thing that these devices need in order to be able to communicate with each other is they need a Wi-Fi connection. Be sure that your connection is protected with a firewall and WPN just to ensure that not only your home but your internet will be protected as well.
Being able to feel secure is something that this society is really desiring, there’s a lot of crazy events that are happening all around us, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t have our own sanctuary where we can get away from the world.
With the connected home, you’re able to know and see what you need in order to make sure that everything is in order and that your family is safe. This is ideal in all areas. The chance to be able to protect your family.
If you don’t have a family, that’s okay too. You can use these devices to watch out for your pets if you have any, which allows you to see them and just make sure they aren’t getting into too much trouble. There are quite a few people that I’m aware of that like to just be able to check on their “fur babies” just to ensure that they are safe. Especially if they are younger.
Competition
If you’ve heard of Nest, then you’ve also heard of Ring. It seems that these two companies are each other’s biggest rivals. Amazon even took down the Nest products on their site and said they wouldn’t be selling them anymore. In retort, Google took YouTube from the Kindle Fire Stick.
Previously, Amazon had decided not to sell the Pixel phones or the Google Home assistant, so this refusal was nothing new, but it definitely would affect their ability to reach out to customers on Amazon.
Obviously Nest offers a few more things then Ring, the intricate designs and the communication is something that is most impressive to me. But when it comes to safety which one is the best? I guess that’s for you to decide.
In any line of work there’s going to be some sort of competition, but with companies like Amazon and Google, it’s a lot like that of McDonald’s and Taco Bell for instance. There’s always going to be a drive to create something more and something better then what the other guy has.
That’s why this is a healthy thing, although it may not seem like it on the outside. But with the desire to do better, they are able to be more creative and make their dreams come true. They are able to better accommodate smart home devices for their consumers, in the end, they are making it a good market, one that people are already interested in.
With support from the communities that are around both of these companies, it’s no surprise that we as consumers are continually looking for the next best thing to keep our homes protected.
Ethics
One of the things that Nest has been trying to do is to be open and clear about their policies and how they treat the people who work around and for them. They have released Modern Slavery statements that cover slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labor, and human trafficking.
With a company that is so transparent about their ethics and their beliefs, it’s a good company to trust. If you were wanting to have a security system, you would want to know that they are treating the people right who are creating them, as well as treating you with respect privacy-wise. So knowing that they stand for something good helps consumers to feel a bit more comfortable.
They also strive to be friendly when it comes to the environment and social responsibilities. When you’re upgrading your Nest device, they have ensured that they are being environmentally friendly by asking that you recycle the previous product.
They strive to have their suppliers maintain a healthy and clean work environment so they can avoid emergencies and stuff along those lines.
Since being taken into the Google/Alphabet family, they have adopted their Modern Slavery and Code of Conduct plus more from them. Ensuring that they will still have a good base of ethics to which their consumers can trust.
When you’re dealing with something that’s as sensitive as having a company’s cameras in your home, you want to be sure that you’re going to be alright with your everyday routines. With the ethics this company has put into place makes it a little more comforting when they are preparing to add something like this in their life.
Related Questions
How many Nest cameras have been sold? According to the CEO of Nest, they have sold over 11 million devices since the company was first founded in 2011. This was the time when it was first started by the old Apple workers.
Is there a monthly fee for Nest Cam? While you can buy the device at $199, there are some advanced features that need a subscription to access. For instance with live feed, for 10 days it’s $10 a month, or $100 a year. For each additional camera it’s $5 or $50 a year. A 30 day history is $30 a month, or $300 a year.