Nest Update Lets Users Control Smart Thermostat From Their Apple Watch

Hinted at by the company earlier in the month, Nest recently debuted a minor, but notable, update for its iOS app, introducing a few user interface tweaks and ways to share live videos from the company's indoor and outdoor cameras. For those users with a Nest Thermostat and an Apple Watch, the 5.6.0 update should be of particular interest, since it brings with it the ability to let you adjust the temperature of your home, right from your wrist, without needing to open the iOS app (via The Verge).

Additionally, there's a new "Spaces" grouping feature that provides an organized way to place Nest products by which room of the house they're in, and lets users view all of their live camera feeds at once, if on Wi-Fi. Additional viewers can be added into these live streams now, as well, thanks to a new web-based site, video.nest.com (which doesn't appear to be up-and-running at the time of writing), where a password can be shared to a trusted third party who might need to check in on the cameras.

Nest apple watch

Image via The Verge

Nest detailed the full list of updates in the App Store:

We have several new features for you.

- Spaces groups your Nest products by room and lets you see all your cameras at once. And if you’re connected to Wi-Fi, shows you all of their live views.

- Share a password protected live view of your camera. Now grandma can see what the kids are up to at video.nest.com.

- 1080p support for Dropcam Pro.

- Automatic video quality adjustment helps make sure you get a continuous, clear picture.

- We’ve also added support for Apple Watch. You can now control your Nest Thermostat from your wrist.

Nest has faced a few public-facing appearance issues in the past, centered around the lengthy gaps between product releases, and some software issues with the Nest Protect line of smoke detectors that ultimately led to a product-wide recall. In June, Nest co-founder Tony Fadell announced that he was leaving the company to "create and disrupt other industries," while speculation from workers inside the company suggested many Nest employees "complained publicly about Fadell's management, while claiming the business had missed sales targets, botched upgrades and delayed future products."

The Nest iOS app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Tag: Nest
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

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Top Rated Comments

Zirel Avatar
114 months ago
No HomeKit = Trash

EcoBee 3 is vastly superior in more ways than HomeKit integration, at this point, Nest is the MacMini of smart thermostats.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mac21ND Avatar
114 months ago
+ for EcoBee 3. Works great; love the additional sensors you can add to each room.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nt5672 Avatar
114 months ago
Dropped Nest last year. We are very happy with Ecobee and no google prying eyes.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Red Oak Avatar
114 months ago
A true "finally". About time
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GadgetBen Avatar
114 months ago
Finally. I've been waiting for this update since the Apple Watch launch
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hagar Avatar
114 months ago
Finally! Now introduce an iOS widget (how long can it take?) and release a hardware update to support HomeKit and Nest might become relevant again for Apple users.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)