Nest Thermostat (4th gen) gets a new look and Apple Home compatibility
Google's flagship learning thermostat gets much smarter with an upgrade four years in the making
🆕 Google redesigned the Nest Thermostat for the first time in four years
⌚ Its 2.7” Pixel Watch-like curved glass offers a 60% bigger display
👋 Detects presence to 💡 brighten or 🌤️ display weather as you near
🍎 Works with Apple Home thanks to its support of the Matter standard
💰 You can pre-order it now for $279; starts shipping August 20
Google has given the Nest Learning Thermostat 4th generation its first redesign in over a decade and with it a whole new set of features and connectivity options.
The Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) has a new design that basically looks like the curved glass screen of the Pixel Watch 2. That new screen is also much larger at 2.7 inches – 60% bigger than any previous Nest. The smart thermostat uses all of that screen real estate to good use with three extra lines of information like humidity, outdoor temperature, or the air quality index.
Not everything about the thermostat’s design has changed. It still features a physical dial and that larger size should make it easier to dial in your preferred temperature.
As for the learning part of the thermostat, Google has promised it will be a lot more intelligent. Firstly, Google has integrated its AI to understand your heating and cooling schedule more accurately and rapidly. It will also only suggest temperature changes instead of applying them automatically. The thermostat will also account for Natural Heating and Cooling and Eco mode to help save on energy by feathering the heat on a sunny day or pulling in outside air on a cool day.
Google has also integrated a new Soli radar sensor that detects whenever you approach your thermostat. This proximity sensor signals when the thermostat should brighten its screen. Alternatively, the display is programmed to display weather animations as you walk towards it.
Lastly, the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) supports Matter (just like the last new Nest Thermostat from 2020), which means it will work natively with Apple Home. The new Nest 4th-generation thermostat will ship on August 20 for $279.99, although Best Buy is already offering a freebie to encourage pre-orders.
Surprisingly, it doesn’t feature a Threads router, but Google appears to be positioning its newly announced Google TV Streamer set-top box as its ultimate home hub. Next up for the company is the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which have been leaked (and partially revealed officially) ahead of August 13.
Ready for more? We’ll be covering Google Pixel 9 Made By Google event
Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam.