02-15-2023 11:17 AM
Would someone from Google Nest please explain the reason why the Protect smoke alarm are not exposed to SmartThings when the two services are linked? I suppose that I should not be surprised by this lack of integration considering that the Protect is not even supported within the Google Home app. What's causing the integration delay, or was it there and then removed? An answer would be appreciated.
02-18-2023 06:53 AM - edited 02-18-2023 06:54 AM
Before Google acquired Nest, Nest Protect integrated with other services (not sure specifically for SmartThings) via the Works with Nest system. Works with Nest connections still continue to work if you still have a non-migrated Nest Account in the Nest app for as long as Google's partners support them. That's still the case as far as I know.
However, the vast majority don't still have a non-migrated Nest account, and migrated to using a Google account to sign into the Nest app and/or Google Home app, meaning those integrations are no longer possible.
There are workarounds (example) to enable some level of integration today, but they are far from simple and are very technically complex.
In general terms, Google continues to work on migrating products and features from the Nest app to the Google Home app, but specifically for Nest Protect I've not seen any announcements in some time.
Hope that helps explain the history!
P.S. I don't work for Google Nest, just another user 🙂
02-18-2023 07:56 AM
Thanks for taking the time to explain. When I setup my Protect (2nd Gen), I chose to use my Google account - so I guess you can say that I pre-migrated since the Protect was my first Google Nest device. I will look into the workaround instructions because as of now, the Protect is completely isolated from the rest of my smart home network, and the only device in the Nest app. If I had known then what I know now, I definitely would not have bought a Protect.
08-03-2023 03:04 AM
Man, I am COMPLETELY in agreement with you in so far as I would NOT have purchased wired Nest Protects for my home in 2018 had I known that Google was going to encourage Nest App users like me to MIGRATE to the Google specific account access for all Nest ecosystem products, only to then completely abandon support for us AND our newly purchased, top-of-the-line Nest branded smart home devices--leaving us with NO RECOURSE WHATSOEVER!
I have been thoroughly incensed for years now by the blatant arrogance & sheer audacity exhibited by Google to screw us out of support for our fancy and frankly expensive new smart devices while steadily promising that EVENTUAL INTEGRATION between Nest Protect & Google Home would come. Well, surprise, 5+ years later....Google has made NO progress and conveniently continue to ignore those of us who keep inquiring about WHEN we can expect the same full-featured functionality that was originally provided with our Nest products out of the box.
The fact that these 'legacy' Nest branded devices--from indoor & outdoor cameras to combo smoke & CO detectors--were actually designed by Google hardware engineers who also developed the original Nest ecosystem communication protocols SHOULD have meant the original integrations for them would be seamlessly migrated across platforms / brands to include the same level of original support (at a minimum) within the WORKS WITH GOOGLE smart home ecosystem as was guaranteed to us under Nest.
I think the only hope is a class action lawsuit and that may still be insufficient to force Google's hand in the matter.
07-08-2023 05:24 PM
So much for the days when Google was promoting open source and looking like leading the rebellion against Closed Source Microsoft.