HOMEOWNERS are raging with Google after the company announced that a major money-saving feature will close down later this year.
Google owns the hugely popular Nest brand, which makes products including smart thermostats and alarm systems.
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The main appeal for such devices is that you can use them remotely with a smartphone.
This can be a real money-saver for scheduling heating and turning it off remotely if you forget once you’ve left the house.
But very soon the feature will be closed down entirely for several Nest thermostat models.
The tech giant says it will be “transitioning away” from supporting three of its oldest devices.
“As we look at what it takes to support your energy needs going forward, it has become increasingly challenging to continue to update these products given the early hardware,” the firm said.
“You will no longer be able to control them remotely from your phone or with Google Assistant, but can still adjust the temperature and modify schedules directly on the thermostat.”
The three models affected are:
- Nest Learning Thermostat (1st generation, released in 2011)
- Nest Learning Thermostat (2nd generation, released in 2012)
- Nest Learning Thermostat (2nd generation, Europe version, released in 2014)
Support is due to be withdrawn on October 25.
Other models will continue to work as normal.
How to tell if your Nest Thermostat is affected
The Nest thermostats affected by the move all have smaller 1.8-inch screens compared to more recent models.
“You can look at the display, the base, or in the Nest or Home app to find out which Nest thermostat you own,” Google says.
“What an absolute let down,” one user wrote on Reddit in reaction to the news.
“Google being Google. Never again will I buy anything from them again.”
Another wrote: “This makes me so mad.
“Why is the world would I ever buy hardware from them again knowing they could turn around and do the same thing again?”
Alongside the development, Google also announced that it will no longer launch new Nest thermostats in the UK going forward.
“Heating systems in Europe are unique and have a variety of hardware and software requirements that make it challenging to build for the diverse set of homes,” the company explained.
“The Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd gen, 2015) and Nest Thermostat E (2018) will continue to be sold in Europe while current supplies last.
“These models will continue to receive security updates and you can control them via the Nest and Home apps.”
4 ways to keep your energy bills low
Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips.
1. Turn your heating down by one degree
You probably won’t even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70.
2. Switch appliances and lights off
It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills
3. Install a smart meter
Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used.
4. Consider switching energy supplier
No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you’ve let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven’t browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there.
