Nest Labs has introduced the next-generation Nest Learning Thermostat, which is 20 percent slimmer and compatible with 95 percent of low-voltage residential heating and cooling systems. Nest has also released version 3.0 of its software.
The new Nest has entirely new, slimmer hardware, more energy-saving features and increased compatibility. The thinner, more feature-rich second-generation Nest is customized to optimize the heating and cooling system for individual homes. Owners of the original Nest will receive these new features through an automatic software update, rolling out over the next few days.
“In the past year, we’ve accomplished a number of notable milestones, from having Nest thermostats connected—and saving money and energy—in every state and across Canada to achieving best-seller status at Lowe’s, Amazon, and Apple’s online store,” said Tony Fadell, Nest founder and chief executive officer. “Our mission is to keep people comfortable in their homes while helping them save energy, and with the next-generation Nest Learning Thermostat, we’re able to spread that comfort and savings to even more homes and to help higher-efficiency systems perform the way they were meant to.”
The second-generation Nest Learning Thermostat has a new all-stainless steel ring that mirrors a wall color or pattern to create a chameleon effect and blend into home décor. The new Nest extends support to two-stage cooling, three-stage heating, and emergency heat for heat pumps, as well as whole-home humidifiers and dehumidifiers.
With the 3.0 software upgrade, the Nest Learning Thermostat includes a range of new features. With System Match, Nest activates custom features depending on what system homeowners have to keep them comfortable and help save energy. Early-on scheduling ensures a designated temperature at an exact time selected, opposed to simply powering on at that time. The Nest also calculates the health of a system’s air filter, based on system runtime, and sends a reminder to change it when needed.
Nest’s heat pump balance feature optimizes how often users need to use expensive auxiliary heat by allowing users to choose more comfort or more savings. The heat pump balance automatically adjusts when auxiliary heat comes on.
Nest personalizes the auto-away start time for each home and can now enter it as soon as 30 minutes after a home was left. This feature is active in more than 90 percent of Nest homes.
More than 90 percent of connected Nest owners use the remote control feature, so in addition to support on computer web browsers, apps for iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones, Nest now supports Android tablets, like the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire.
Nest now offers English, French, or Spanish as default languages on the thermostat and corresponding mobile apps.
