Google has brought the Nest brand back into the spotlight with fresh video doorbell and camera models, pairing them with Gemini-powered intelligence.
While Google has abandoned the Nest name for its new smart speaker, the reveal of its three new Gemini-infused home security cameras suggests a new focus for the brand.
Smarter devices, sharper vision
The three new devices – the Nest Cam Indoor (3rd Gen), Nest Cam Outdoor (2nd Gen), and Nest Doorbell (3rd Gen) – are built to “provide the rich, detailed data [the] multimodal AI uses” meaning you’ll get better alerts and improved notifications.
These devices all capture in 2K HDR resolution, offering improved clarity over earlier Nest cams. They also feature the widest and tallest field of view ever, giving you more oversight on your property boundaries than ever before. The Nest cameras capture a 152-degree diagonal view, while the Nest Doorbell offers a 1:1 aspect ratio and a 166-degree diagonal view.
The cameras also perform better in low-light situations, thanks to new sensors and wider apertures.
And of course, they’re souped up for Gemini for Home too. Google says you’ll receive more detailed notifications and you’ll be able to ask questions to find out what happened while you weren’t at home. It’s a neat little feature that should stop you hunting through hours of footage to find the thing that you need.
AI and cloud intelligence
Of course, such features require a subscription and those with Google Home Premium (£16/month or £160/year) will unlock advanced capabilities like extended video retention (up to 60 days), searchable video history, and intelligent event descriptions. Basic users (£8/month or £80/year) still get short clips retained for six hours.
These AI enhancements bring Google closer to Ring’s object recognition features, which already label events as package deliveries, motion, or vehicles.
How it compares
The timing of this announcement isn’t coincidental. Google’s reveal follows the announcement of Ring’s Retinal 4K cameras, which also leverage AI subject recognition and new cloud features like Search Party for tracking lost pets. Comparing them shows how aggressively both firms are pushing smart home ecosystems forward.
Nest has a long legacy in smart video doorbells; its earlier Nest Doorbell () continues to earn praise for high detail in its video feed. But Ring has aggressively expanded in smart security, and the affordable Ring Outdoor Cam Plus recently stood out as a strong value option. The new Nest lineup will have to compete hard to justify its higher prices.
The new Nest Cams and Doorbell are available now on the Google Store. The Nest Cam Indoors is priced at £89.99/$99.99 while the Nest Cam Outdoor will set you back £119.99/$149.99. Meanwhile the new Nest Doorbell retails at £TBC/$179.99.
Opinion
Google’s new AI-enabled Nest lineup is more than a refresh. It wants Nest to stand toe-to-toe with Ring in features, intelligence and ecosystem control. The challenge will come down to execution: if the AI is smart, responsive, and meaningful, Nest’s return could be a powerful reset. But if it’s gimmicky or inconsistent, Google might just be chasing Ring instead of catching up.
