Nest Gen 1-2 discontinuation

[rickthebeerman]

It is ridiculous to disable perfectly good devices in order to upsell to newer devices. I have 2 homes, each with a gen 2 thermostat that both work fine. I DO NOT want to integrate with other google home crap; I just want to be able to monitor my 2 homes for temperature. Sonos tried this same program in 2020 and due to overwhelming negative feedback managed to quickly create a simple S1 controller for the older devices I spent thousands on. (Which all still work wonderfully, by the way!)

Google: Create a standalone Nest Thermostat app for the gen 1 & gen 2. I will buy new thermostats when my current ones die. 

[silvanet]

"F" these thieves and their planned obsolescence. I was very happy with my Gen 2 thermostat and how easy it was to set temperature settings on the old app, then they 'updated' to an app that is absolutely impossible to do what was so easy in the original app. Sure, make it impossible to use and announce end of support to force customers to buy a new product. What is wrong with these people? Why do they always have to fix something that isn't broken? I'm sick of this. The destroyed a perfectly good product. I'd now give them a ZERO stars rating, no Kudos at all. They revolt me.

[HarryAI]

So much for saving the planet... tonnes of thermostats about to hit the bin! Nest's green creditials are on fire and should be dragged through the mud in public. This is an outrage! 

For me, an update allowing fortnightly or monthly scheduling, although not perfect would save me therostat from being thrown in the bin! 

I'm not happy and am now worrying my £250 nest doorbell will be heading for the skip too and they've tied me into a monthly subscription for that aswell! 

No chance i pick up a pixel phone, i'm rapidly loosing trust in Google/Nest 

[Gnestowner]

It is super disappointing that a thermostat that works just fine is no longer going to be working with the app.  Please, Google, do what Sonos did and separate out an older version of the Nest app to work with legacy thermostats.

We've had our Nest thermostat for 10 years.  If this is the support lifespan of google products, we will be switching to a different brand for our wifi thermostat needs. And will never buy other google products

[DoctorJ]

I agree it’s unreasonable to stop supporting a product that was marketed so heavily and even was endorsed by state utilities’ energy saving programs. I have 6 in my two homes so it’s going to cost me almost $1k to upgrade. I wrote to the MA Attorney General but I don’t expect them to do much. There doesn’t appear to be anyone at Google identified to whom you can complain. Doubt they monitor the group. 

[Stevegra]

Never held Google in high regard. Never. But this is a new low for even those scumbags. Remember when their motto was 'do no harm'?  Hahahaha

[DoctorJ]

I guess we have no recourse. No phone number, no email, no name of someone to contact. The notice seems a bit ambiguous wrt whether remote access is discontinued, but I’ll bet it is. This is costing me $1 k. 

[JamesGMitchell]

I am not sure what others are deciding to do about this atrocious withdrawal of support for Nest Gen 1 & 2 thermostats, but I am hopping mad.  As an early adopter, I helped Nest to have the market penetration it has.

If this does not change, I will do the following on all my devices:  I will no longer make Chrome the default browser; I will stop using gmail; I will stop using Google Home for anything. In addition, I will buy new thermostats that do allow control over the net, but they will not be Google products. I will not buy any more Google products, period.  There are lots of choices out there.

If enough of us take these actions, the loss to Google in revenue from advertising and the sale of smart home devices will, I believe, cost the company way more than finding a simple way to support the Gen 1 and 2 devices.  I don't know if they are doing something illegal here or just being stupid.  If a class action suit is filed, I will happily jump on it.

Think hard, Google, about abandoning your loyal customers. The unintended consequences will cost you dearly.

Sincerely,

James G. Mitchell, PhD, 

50-year Computer Scientist.

[Angie100100]

I don’t want to buy another nest either. This 2nd generation still works perfectly fine. They say, it’ll be obsolete, but hey, we will give you one for 50% off and you’ll be happy about it. No I won’t be happy about it, what a scam. 

[Steve3948]

Its the same with  Windows 10, my custom built PC works fine is super fast but does not meet the requirements for Windows 11, so they say you need a new PC that does meet the requirements. I have programs that only work with Windows.

I have replaced my Nest Gen 2 with the Tado X 50% off offer because I need to control the heating when away, it works well and was straight forward installing, but I am an Electrician so it may not be straight forward for some.

It was sad seeing the Nest Thermostat being tossed in the rubbish bin, what a waste of something that worked, but its done now and I have moved on, its just the bloody PC to deal with now and then what next 😟

[paulrohe327]

I agree 100%… to think I am ever going to purchase Google products again, not a chance. I guess they feel they are the only players around.

Not a fan at all at these types of decision makers 

[GreenEnergyCo]

Where is a class action lawsuit when you need one?  This should be one!

[jnewton3d]

Have they explained technically why they are doing this? Is it because the 14yo models don't support updated security protocols? Or what?

[WinnieL]

Does Google think about the amount of waste this decision will create? I’d gladly pay a yearly subscription to keep my current thermostat than buy a new one and throw away a perfectly useable one. I think there are many users who feel this way. Google has the opportunity to be a responsible and sustainable company while maintaining customer loyalty and making money. Please do the right thing. 

[HarryAI]

I agree with WinnieL, I would have paid a subscription to save a device from the tip and for the ease. In the end I moved to Tado using Googles discounted link. I purchased the wireless system for about £60 and installed it myself (about 1 hour). I sold my old Nest system on vinted in a cheap £35 deal, clearly stating the theromstat would no longer be supported in app. All told i'm out of pocket about £25 and maybe a few hours. But the point here is not just financial, it is also 1) the brand damage for Google and Nest 2) the disentivation to be a trail blazer with Google products - I wont do it again 3) the potential waste created, ironically from an ECO product 4) the frivolous skirting of UK consumer law. 

[DoctorJ]

The gen 4 isn’t plug compatible with the gen 1 or 2. It’s also a pain to program - no “home” or “away” button. I finally was able to connect with Nest support on the phone, but it took over an hour to get the first gen4 installed, and the support person wasn’t very familiar with its operation on Google Home. The gen 3 is supported, is cheaper than the “discounted” gen 4, and is plug compatible with the older models. The idiocy of Google, and the pain it’s causing Nest users is appalling. The need to use Google Home because the Nest app is going away is very inconvenient. Wish someone had mounted a class action suit. 

[erikw2000]

Good bye, Google

[ebsubman]

Looks like Google Nest is just another money grubbing company who does NOT care about their customers. It would take ZERO effort on their part to make the earlier models work... IT'S A **GD** THERMOSTAT !!  

[atirrell]

I purchased mine in 2020 through my energy provider, and I find out now only through Facebook, that I have an affected model. I never even got the email, and I've barely had the thing for 5 years. Apparently this model was originally released in 2011. I feel like I've really been screwed over. This is forced obsolescence! 

[Asie93]

I'll also be replacing with another vendor thermostat when I feel I need to. It is not needed to create e-waste with perfectly fine hardware. 

[carolabate001]

I totally agree this is a very bad decision to force home owners with 1st or 2nd Gen to upgrade to the 4th Gen Nest thermostat.  If I have to upgrade I will not go with Nest as this is unacceptable!!!

[Brooksgrd1]

I couldn’t agree more — this is absolute crapI’ve got a house full of Google products, and now they’re bricking Nest thermostats like it’s some noble act of progress. Please. It’s a cash grab, plain and simple.

And before the “Well, Nest is over 13 years old and Google has every right to make money” crowd chimes in — spare me. Google didn’t buy Nest as a charity case. They knew exactly what they were doing: acquiring an ecosystem, not a disposable product line.

I didn’t spend good money on Nests because I wanted a glorified “heat up / cool down” dial. I bought into the promise — smart integration, continuous innovation, and a company that wouldn’t pull the rug out once the balance sheet said so. So sure, Google can do this. But don’t confuse “can” with “should.” If this is how they treat loyal customers, they’re not innovating — they’re alienating.

[Capstan62]

Hi Rick

I am just made aware BY ECCESSING THE DEVICE (I have not received any notification) of discontinuation of support of Gen 1 & 2 thermostats. 
This decision is complete shame on Google.
Gen 1 is in use at my partent’s home, I have a second Gen3 thermostat that will certainly go off in 1-2 years. Both devices are just perfect. What the hell someone can decide ti force these in the trash can. Planned obsolescence in not for me. 

I will NEVER EVER purchase a Google device in the future. Bye bye. 

[Meforyou]

Greed by Google to landfill our perfectly working and useable thermostats well Google won’t be getting money time to go look at hive but I won’t be looking at tado aka Google scum 

[Steve3948]

Tado is German and nothing to do with Google

[bugeater327]

I have 3 Gen 2 Nest thermostats which work just fine until today. They were just dropped off the Internet by Google. The waste of countless thermostats now being not much more than trash is disgusting. It's not like a company like Google can eat the cost of supporting them for many many more years!

No, I will not buy another thermostat from Google. Sorry folks, you cannot extort money from me like this! In fact, I think that a class action lawsuit is in order!

[Brooksgrd1]

A firsthand look at how Google’s decision to sunset support for the 1st and 2nd-generation Nest Thermostats reveals a deeper issue in modern business strategy — the tension between short-term profit and long-term customer trust in the connected age.

Open Letter to Google

The Moment

On October 27, both of my Nest Learning Thermostats (Second Gen) finally lost app connectivity.

I’d seen the alerts for weeks but, like many loyal users, I hoped the shutdown wouldn’t really happen. These devices have worked flawlessly for over a decade. They weren’t broken — they were discontinued.

When the app stopped connecting, there was no real way to reach customer service or voice frustration. Just an automated message confirming what I’d feared: support had ended.

The thermostats still function manually. The hardware didn’t fail — the relationship did.

The Context

I’m far from anti-Google. My home runs on a Google Mesh network, Google Home, and a suite of Google apps I use daily for collaboration and productivity. I’m deeply invested — personally and professionally — in their ecosystem.

That’s what makes this decision feel so shortsighted. When a company as sophisticated as Google decommissions perfectly functional devices, it doesn’t just remove a feature. It weakens the emotional contract of reliability that keeps users loyal.

This isn’t about thermostats. It’s about ecosystem trust — and the quiet erosion that happens when short-term cost savings take priority over long-term customer retention.

The Legal “Fix” That Isn’t

After losing connection, I went looking for recourse. A mass-arbitration initiative online promised consumer empowerment. On paper, it sounded hopeful — a way to push back.

But the fine print told another story: a forty-percent contingency fee, automatic opt-out of future class actions, broad discretion for attorneys to act in your name, and confidential arbitration under Pennsylvania law.

For a $200 device, that isn’t justice — it’s friction disguised as advocacy.

Corporations have learned that the best defense isn’t a courtroom victory — it’s procedural fatigue.

The “Discount” Dilemma

Then came an email from Google offering a forty-two-percent discount on the newest Nest Thermostat. On the surface, that looks generous. But strategically, it’s a fascinating — and deeply flawed — move.

Is it benevolence, or a revenue-recovery mechanism dressed as goodwill?

Think about the optics: a company disables the defining features of a decade-old product, then offers loyal customers a limited-time discount to “upgrade.” It’s framed as a courtesy, but it’s effectively monetizing discontinuation.

If you’re a product strategist or CX leader, this is the inflection point. The short-term revenue bump from forced upgrades rarely offsets the long-term erosion of trust capital — especially in ecosystems built on interconnectivity.

The Broader Lesson

This moment isn’t about HVAC systems. It’s about ownership, responsibility, and digital sustainability.

When functionality depends on servers consumers don’t control, they’re not owners — they’re renters of connectivity. Ending support for connected products might reduce maintenance costs today, but it teaches users to never fully commit again.

The next time those same customers see a connected device, they’ll ask: “How long before this one stops working too?”

That question isn’t cynical — it’s earned.

In the short term, disabling “legacy” devices may look like smart financial hygiene. In the long term, it erodes brand loyalty, weakens retention, and tells customers they’re replaceable.

The lesson is simple but often ignored: digital longevity is brand equity.

Innovation isn’t only about what you build next — it’s about how responsibly you retire what came before. The companies that internalize that truth will keep their customers. The ones that don’t will keep losing them — one silent disconnect at a time.

[erikw2000]

I'm normally opposed to class action lawsuits because they generally seem frivolous. But I would've definitely signed up for this one. But, since that's apparently off the table, the next best thing I can do is disentangle myself from the Google ecosystem. I replaced the thermostat with an Ecobee. I replaced my doorbell camera with a Ring. And I'm now glad I recently dropped Youtube TV and will be looking for other ways to "drop" Google. Some short sighted exec at Google may have thought this was a good way to make a couple extra bucks but they will lose a lot more money from me going forward.