Google's Nest Learning Thermostat Gets an AI Makeover After Nine Years: What You Need to Know

After a nine-year wait, Google is refreshing the device that put Nest on the map. On Tuesday, the company introduced the Nest Learning Thermostat 4, marking 13 years since the original model's debut and nearly a decade after the Learning Thermostat 3. This rollout comes just ahead of the Made by Google 2024 event next week and aims to revive interest in the smart home sector.

In recent years, Google’s activity in the smart home category has slowed significantly, leading many to think it was stagnating—similar to a quieter phase for Amazon’s Echo devices.

The launch of the new Learning Thermostat coincides with Google ramping up efforts on its generative AI model, Gemini. While Gemini is set to enhance Google Assistant on Pixel and other Android devices, its branding will still be present in the smart home lineup, now supporting Google's advanced language models. This advanced AI promises to elevate Assistant’s conversational skills, enabling more fluid natural language interactions—a goal both Google and Amazon have pursued for over a decade.

“We're excited to reveal how Gemini models can make our devices smarter and more user-friendly than ever, starting with home automation and cameras. We’re also enhancing Google Assistant’s natural interaction on Nest speakers and displays,” Google noted in its announcement.

The fourth-generation Learning Thermostat showcases a refined design that is both thinner and sleeker. Its always-on display is now customizable, providing four different interfaces that show time, temperature, and air quality, adapting as you approach. Google chose to retain the classic rotating hardware and removed touch functionality from the display. The screen is now 60% larger than the third generation and features an edge-to-edge design, eliminating the bulky black bezel.

Beyond a more conversational Assistant, Google is implementing new AI models for what it calls “micro-adjustments” tailored to user habits, which reflects the "learning" aspect of the product. These upgrades will also factor in external temperatures to optimize energy efficiency.

Priced at $280, the new Nest Learning Thermostat includes an additional Temperature Sensor, a compact device that can be strategically placed around the home to enhance overall temperature accuracy. Extra sensors are available for $40 each or $99 for a three-pack. The third-generation Learning Thermostat will continue to be available until inventory runs out, while the budget-friendly Thermostat E will remain at its current price of $130.

Preorders for the new Nest Learning Thermostat are open now, with the product set to hit store shelves on August 20.