Using both gen 1 & 2 cams

[Somewherre]

I currently have several gen 1 Nest cams which carry the Nest Aware subscription and use the Nest app, ie, I haven't migrated to Google yet. If I buy a couple of gen 2's, do I need to do anything in addition to creating a new google user ID/email to use just the gen 2's under google without losing my Nest app for the gen 1's?  I will also want Nest Aware for the 2’s as well.

Also, will I be able to have both apps open at the same time to view all the cams?  I use both an iPhone and iPad for the Nest app, hoping to still do that for the gen 2 cams without having to migrate my gen 1’s.

Thanks!

[MplsCustomer]

@Somewherre 

If you want Nest Aware for your new 2nd gen cameras, you will need a 2nd gen Nest Aware or Nest Aware Plus subscription. These 2nd gen subscriptions cover all 1st and 2nd gen cameras in the same Google Nest "home/structure" on the same Google Account, so if you do NOT migrate your Nest Account to a Google Account (https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9297676), then you will need to have a 2nd gen subscription AND your existing 1st gen subscription. (We migrated in 2020 because with several cameras and doorbells it was and is cheaper.)

If you migrate your Nest Account to a Google Account, you can view all of your cameras in the Google Home app and on the home.google.com, but home.google.com is much more limited than home.nest.com.

Once you migrate, you CAN then also "transfer" most of your 1st gen cameras and doorbells from the Google Nest app to the beta "Public Preview" version of the Google Home app (https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Blog/Public-Preview-updates-Expanded-support-for-Nest-Doorbel...). We have NOT done this, because there are still MANY Nest app functions that are missing from the Google Home app (https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/13038234#zippy=%2Cnest-app-only-features) (and the "Preview Version" has been in "Preview" status since October 2022, so for 3 years we've continued to use the Google Nest app for our 1st gen cameras and doorbells, and the Google Home app for our two 2nd gen cameras.

[Somewherre]

Hi - Thanks for all the info!  I’m fine with having the 2 separate subscriptions.  I keep reading that the google one just doesn’t compare to the Nest one, which has become my benchmark for what I want out of a security cam app.  

I’m just not sure if I can have both subscriptions under my current…email? …account?  …phone number?  My primary goal is to NOT migrate my gen 1’s  with their NA script while being able to create a new NA+ script for the gen 2’s.  Wondering how much of a new identity I need to create - if any - for the gen 2 stuff.

[MplsCustomer]

@Somewherre 

I don't know whether you can have both subscriptions on the same Google Account. I also don't know whether you can use the Google Account you're currently using with your Google Nest app to install 2nd gen cameras in the Google Home app against that same account. I suspect you may get an error saying that your Google Account is already linked to a Nest Account. 

I don't know what drawbacks you see in the 2nd gen Nest Aware subscription, other than the specifics of how much history you get.  When we migrated in 2020, nothing else changed for us except that we also had (at the time) minimal access to our cameras and doorbells in the Google Home app.  For us, there were NO drawbacks to migrating.

I also don't know what you mean by "NA script". When we migrated in 2020, nothing at all changed in how we used the Google Nest app, except for the specifics of what history we get.

You can see the pricing and subscription details here:

https://store.google.com/us/product/nest_aware?hl=en-US&modal=upgrade-pricing

It will definitely cost more to have two subscriptions.

[Somewherre]

Hmm.  Last I knew, once you migrated you lose being able to use the Nest app and had to use Google Home.  Has that changed?  If I migrate, then add the gen 2 cams, can I still use the Nest app as well as  Nest Aware Plus subscription (NA+ script) for both gen 1 & 2 cams?

[MplsCustomer]

@Somewherre 

We migrated in 2020 and we still use the Google Nest app and the home.nest.com website for our 1st gen cameras and doorbells (and will do so as long as possible, or until Google Nest adds Nest app functionality to the Google Home app), and our Nest Aware Plus subscription covers both our 1st gen and 2nd gen cameras.  (I don't know what "NA+ script" means.)

[EmptyNester]

You may want to make it easy on yourself and just buy used Gen 1 cameras from Ebay.  There is nothing compelling (in my opinion) about the Gen 2 cameras and the Google Home app that make it worth juggling 2 different apps.  In fact there are still some things missing in the Google home app that prevent me from switching over to it.   (Sorry Google).  

[Somewherre]

Honestly, I’d love to do this but you can’t add any new Nest Aware subscriptions for gen 1 cams.  The reason I like Nest cams so much is the 24/7 with history subscription, not necessarily the cams.  

[MplsCustomer]

@Somewherre 

The 2nd gen Nest Aware Plus subscription we've had since 2020 provides 10 days of 24/7 history.  If you get the battery camera, you also need to plug it in with the optional power cable in order to get 24/7 recording.  When running on battery power, the camera only provides EVENT video history.

[EmptyNester]

If  you migrated your Gen 1 cams to the GOOGLE HOME app it is super simple to move them back to the NEST App. I have done it a few times.  

Go into the Google Home app and view the image of the gen 1 cam.  Select the 3 dots in the upper right corner and select SETTINGS.  At the bottom you should see "TRANSFER TO THE NEST APP"

[MplsCustomer]

@EmptyNester 

Let's not mix up Google Nest's confusing terminology.

You can "migrate" a Nest Account to a Google Account; this is NOT reversible. We did so in 2020 and still use the Google Nest app.

Once "migrated", you can "transfer" most 1st gen cameras and doorbells from the Google Nest app to the beta "Public Preview" version of the Google Home app. This "transfer" IS reversible.

[EmptyNester]

@MplsCustomer  Excellent point.  Thank you for clarifying.  And maybe someday Google will see it as important to stop creating confusing terminology and confusing product names.   It is so frustrating. 

[Somewherre]

Thank you - this info helps a lot.  My primary concern with getting gen 2 cameras is that i’d lose the Nest app for my gen 1’s as a result.  Haven’t heard good things about the google home app and not sure what functions I’d lose using it.  Glad to hear I’ll be able to use both without much fuss.

[EmptyNester]

Hello,  just to clarify you can keep using the nest app on your phone for all your gen 1 cameras.   You then use the Google Home app for the gen 2 cameras.    You can then choose to move the Gen 1 cameras over to the Google home app.  However when you do that the gen 1 cams will no longer appear in the nest app.   If you don't like the gen 1 cams in the Google home app it is easy to move them back to the nest app.     One other thing: None of the "IQ" gen 1 cameras work in the google home app as of now.