Nest camera notifications don't work on google home app

[santo6]

I recently upgraded from the Nest Hello camera to the new Nest Doorbell. However, I found it incompatible with the Nest app, so I integrated it into the Google Home app instead. My home setup also includes four outdoor cameras and Nest thermostats, all managed through the Nest app. After adding the doorbell to Google Home, I attempted to configure notifications for my outdoor cameras within the Google Home app. Surprisingly, the app only offered notification settings for the newly added doorbell, not for the other cameras. Although I can view the feeds of all my cameras in the Google Home app, I'm unable to activate or manage notifications for them there. Is there a solution for this or is Google forcing users to purchase new cameras to all work under the Google Home app?

[MplsCustomer]

@santo6 

Google Nest's newer cameras and doorbells released starting in Sept. 2021 work only in the Google Home app, while the older 1st gen Google Nest cameras and doorbells work fully only in the Google Nest app.

We've been using 2 apps to manage our Google Nest cameras and doorbells ever since Sept. 2021, when we purchased a Google Nest Battery Camera.

Google Nest is now allowing customers to test out "transferring" selected 1st gen cameras (no doorbells yet) from the Google Nest app to the beta "Public Preview" version of the Google Home app:

https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Blog/Nest-Cam-Outdoor-1st-gen-expanded-support-rolling-out-in...

[santo6]

There is no other solution to this other than to purchase new google cameras or to run two apps at the same time?

[MplsCustomer]

@santo6 

Yes. We have both 1st gen and 2nd gen cameras, and so are running two apps.  Our 1st gen cameras and doorbells are still running fine (and have more functions than our 2nd gen cameras).

[santo6]

Are you comfortable using two different apps, despite spending a lot on those cameras? Both the Google Home app and the Nest app collect activity data. Since it's a software feature, Google could easily update the Google Home app to send notifications for the first-generation cameras. I find it surprising that you're fine with this situation.

[MplsCustomer]

@santo6 

I did NOT mean to imply I was fine with the situation. I only meant to say there is no other solution. I have been annoyed ever since we bought a Google NEST battery camera in Sept. 2021 and discovered to our surprise that it did not work in the Google NEST app.

[santo6]

Thank you, and I share your viewpoint. It's unreasonable to expect us to use two separate apps for these expensive cameras. Google's approach seems dishonest and unfair. We should have a better solution. It would be simple for them to add a single line of code to enable notifications, rather than making us juggle two apps.

[EdmondB]

Hey santo6,

We hear you our support team is working hard to make things better for all our users. We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with us—we're going to use them to make some really great improvements! Here is a link to share feedback about Google Nest. 

Thanks for the input, @MplsCustomer.

Best,
Edmond