Unethical and Disloyal Practice - BUYER BEWARE

[Lupus3d]

Review Summary: BUYER BEWARE: This product can lose its core features at any time by company decision.

Detailed Review:

I want to warn all consumers about a business practice by Google/Nest that I find deeply unethical and disloyal.

I bought the Nest Learning Thermostat specifically for its smart features, like voice control and remote control via the app. At no point during the purchase was I informed that this was a product with an "expiration date." I believed I was making a long-term investment for my home.

Now, Google has decided that, starting in October 2025, it will simply deactivate these features on my perfectly functional product. The justification is that they are "migrating to a new platform." In reality, this is a clear strategy of planned obsolescence to force existing customers to buy the new model.

The core functionality I bought the product for will be removed. This isn't an upgrade; it's a forced downgrade. The discount offer for a new model doesn't solve the problem; it's just a confirmation that I need to pay again for something that should already work.

I deeply regret this purchase and feel misled. I urge everyone to think twice before investing in an ecosystem where the company can unilaterally remove features you have already paid for.

Do you recommend the product? No

[RiKx · Accepted solution]

https://youtu.be/tfAchfFXghc Tado behaviour for those interested. They faked charging customers a sub to continue to have remote access. 

[SLG2]

I also have a gen 2 model that works just fine.  No reason to spend hundreds on a new model just to be able to use the app.  Screams money grab scheme.  Every few years you'll have to buy a new one to keep the 'app features'.

[PSHARDING75]

I would agree with this comment. I have a second generation thermostat which works perfectly, and I often use the app on my iPhone, especially the home/away feature.   Having the ability to control my thermostat remotely is important to me.  It makes no sense to discontinue a product that works.

[RiKx]

This is disgraceful practice and thoroughly anti consumer I suggest we start a user group and look into it this is even legal in the uk/Europe I’m pretty confident it won’t be. I only got notice the day before when functionality disappeared from home this is not acceptable. 

why would anyone invest in smart devices for homes if they can be mothballed with almost no notice for no reason! Not to mention the BS about Europe homes being to difficult to make products for! What a crock. 

[stevepritchard]

This is really causing some stress, we have two Nest devices one older and one newer and use them with the app, alexa etc and particularly adjust schedules and use remote access.

We built an extension and were particularly keen to get a second nest device as form and function are perfect.

I cannot believe that functionality is arbitrarily being removed - I get that older products that fail cannot be supported but this is  appalling customer service and shows a complete lack of commitment to customer loyalty.

I am currently reviewing the options and needless to say it will not be Tado!

[RiKx · Accepted solution]

https://youtu.be/tfAchfFXghc Tado behaviour for those interested. They faked charging customers a sub to continue to have remote access. 

[stevepritchard]

.....and worst fears have now occurred - The app still shows two devices but the main house one is now offline - so no scheduling, no geofencing, no remote turning on the heating when on the way back from a weekend no "Alexa turn-up hallway half a degree" A perfectly working device has been taken offline and hamstrung by a mega profitable global supplier that does not care for its customers.

Sonos attempted to do this a few years ago to their older music devices but customer backlash was huge so they left one version of the app with a fixed feature set and very infrequent security upgrades but all new features were in a second version of the app which only supported the newest devices.

At the moment I'm looking across ecobee, honeywell & Hive devices (our newer uk boiler supports 24v) 

I'm starting to see class action rumblings in the US and Europe so will keep watching

I've spent the last couple of days since my first post looking for an 

[Lupus3d]

It's unbelievable what Google has done. I had a device in perfect working order inside my home, with several functionalities that were the very reason I switched to it in the first place.

Then one day, without my consent and with practically no warning, the company remotely accessed my device and effectively "swapped" the product I bought for an inferior version. They didn't fix anything, they didn't recall the hardware, they just removed the features I paid for.

The device didn't break, it didn't burn out, it had no defects. Google digitally entered my home and sabotaged my property. If an individual did this, it would be called vandalism or theft of functionality. So why is it acceptable when a multi-billion dollar corporation does it?

And the cruel timing is no coincidence: doing this at the start of winter is using people's desperation as a sales strategy.

If every smart device company starts doing this, no consumer will be safe. We will be buying products that can be intentionally downgraded at any moment by a corporate decision.

It's time we seriously consider a class-action lawsuit against this absurd practice. This cannot stand.

[Nihilzi]

I just bought a new home and did not even think to ask if the thermostat was arbitrarily going to be disabled by corporate MAGA. Yet another reason to hate Google. Truly the prime example of the en**bleep**ification of America. Also, release the Epstein files. 

[Nalin]

The same thing will happen to my Nest Thermostat, which is working perfectly, and Google is now planning to brick all these millions of devices for no good reason.  Surely this goes against the core principle which was to save energy and reduce waste?

But nobody from google appears to be brave enough to face the consumers they are short changing.

Seriously, how much does would it cost to still have an app that connects to the nest? 

Perhaps they could open source the software and allow community support if they seriously do not want to service their existing customers?

[Lupus3d · Accepted solution]

I need to vent about the absolute disgusting and cruel practice Google is pulling with the Nest Thermostat.

They aren't just discontinuing support. They are actively, and deliberately, **bleep**ing over their customers in the worst way possible. They didn't just kill voice commands. They just completely cut off app access. I can no longer control my thermostat from my phone AT ALL.

And let's talk about the timing, you soulless **bleep**s at Google. You do this at the very start of winter. You know, when controlling your heating **bleep**ing matters? This is not a coincidence. This is a calculated, cruel move to maximize pressure on people to panic-buy your new overpriced piece of **bleep**. You are holding people's comfort and safety hostage for a few extra dollars.

And all that talk about being "green" and "eco-friendly"? It was a complete and utter lie. A **bleep**ing marketing gimmick. The most ecological thing would be to keep a perfectly functional device working. But no, you want me to throw this piece of "e-waste" – that YOU created – into a landfill so your multi-billion dollar company can scrape a few more billions in profit.

You are forcing me to trash a perfectly good device because of your greed. You are a **bleep**ing disgrace. You make me sick.

You are not a tech company. You are a predatory scam. Google GO **bleep** YOUR SELF!

#PlannedObsolescence #GoogleNest #Scam #**bleep**Google