Google Discontinues Support for Older Nest Thermostats
▼ Summary
– Google is ending software updates and app connectivity for first- and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats as of October 25, 2025.
– These older thermostats will lose smart features like smartphone control, notifications, and third-party integrations, functioning only as manual temperature controls.
– Google notified affected owners and offered a discount on a newer model, reducing the price from $280 to $149.99.
– Users on the Nest subreddit expressed concerns about future device support and debated whether this move represents planned obsolescence.
– This decision is part of Google’s history of discontinuing products and services, such as Google Reader, Google+, and Stadia.
Google has officially ended software support for its first and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats, rendering these older models unable to connect to the Google Nest or Google Home applications. Starting October 25, 2025, these devices will lose their smart capabilities, functioning only as basic manual thermostats. While you can still adjust temperatures by hand at the unit itself, remote control through a smartphone, automated alerts, and integration with third-party devices or voice assistants will no longer be available.
Owners of the affected thermostats have reportedly received emails from Google notifying them of the change. The company is offering a newer Nest thermostat model at a discounted price of $149.99, which represents a significant reduction from the standard $280 cost. This move is intended to help users transition to supported hardware, though it has sparked considerable debate among the user community.
On platforms like the Nest subreddit, many customers expressed frustration and skepticism. Some question the wisdom of investing in another Nest product when future support remains uncertain. Others point out that the original thermostats were released over a decade ago, the first generation in 2011 and the second in 2014, suggesting that long-term functionality for smart devices is never guaranteed. However, a common counter-argument is that consumers paid a premium specifically for smart features, and losing those capabilities effectively turns an expensive device into a simple thermostat that could have been purchased for a fraction of the price.
Critics also argue that maintaining basic connectivity for a thermostat should not be overly complex from a technical standpoint, leading some to view the discontinuation as a form of planned obsolescence. They believe Google is intentionally phasing out older hardware to drive sales of newer models. This is not the first time Google has retired a product; the company has a track record of discontinuing services such as Google Reader, Google+, Google Glass, and the Stadia game streaming platform. Given this history, some users are now calling for broader consumer advocacy focused on hardware longevity, wondering if a movement similar to “Stop Killing Games” might emerge to address product support issues.
(Source: PC Magazine)
