Technology evolves at breakneck speeds, there’s no denying that. Because that’s the case, there are plenty of examples of devices losing manufacturer support. The most common instance of this is the smartphone. New models launch every year, and at a certain point, phonemakers opt to leave those older devices off of software upgrade lists.
It sucks. But we as consumers are used to it, and a majority of us upgrade our phones every 2.5 years or so anyway.
A smartphone becoming obsolete is one thing. It’s easy to trade in. Data can be transferred, and we’re up and running on a new device in a matter of moments.
What Google recently announced related to the first- and second-generation Nest smart thermostat devices, on the other hand, is an absolute disgrace. In a post to the Nest Community site, the company explained that it would no longer provide software updates for those early-gen devices as of October 25, 2025. Going a step further, though, the company said that all of the smart and connected functionality of those devices would cease to work.
In other words, users with a first- or second-gen Nest thermostat would, overnight, find themselves with a fancy looking wall thermostat. Gone would be the ability to control those devices through an app or with voice commands. Schedules and other automated settings would still be accessible, but the user would have to physically update those settings on the Nest device itself.
Reading that back, I hear it—first world problems. But first world problems demand first world solutions. And simply abandoning those customers who were early adopters of the smart thermostat movement is not an appropriate or acceptable move by one of the largest tech companies in the world.
The average consumer already has a tough time trusting technology as it is. A move like this is only going to exacerbate those feelings and disenfranchise people from welcoming more connected tech into their homes. It’s a major inconvenience to those people who rely on the ability to monitor and control those devices. And, sure, Google’s offering a credit to upgrade ($130 off of the fourth-gen product) as a way to soften the blow. But we’re talking about a device that’s hardwired into the wall. It’s just not OK.
A 2022 Parks Associates study put the total number of smart thermostats in use at around 60 million U.S. households, with roughly one-in-four being Google Nest thermostat users, or about 15 million. Gen 3 of the Nest thermostat launched in late 2015, so the affected devices were sold between 2011 (when Nest launched) and 2015-ish. It’s hard to estimate exactly how many users are out there with those early Nest thermostats, but the number’s at least in the millions.
The Trusted Advisor
All that said: One major tech company’s flub is the custom integrator’s chance to play hero.
This kind of announcement poses a tremendous opportunity for this channel. It’s a built-in reason to reach out to your current client base and play the role of that trusted advisor. Chances are, they haven’t heard this news, which means you can be the one to inform them, bring them up to speed on the situation, and—if they happen to be an impacted customer—be there to help them upgrade their device.
Don’t overlook the fact that there’s even a chance to talk to those third-gen Nest device users or clients with other dated smart thermostats—seeing how Google treated those early devices, they might as well think about upgrading now to avoid potential disruptions, which could happen at any given moment. And then, while you’re in the home, there’s the chance to review other potentially dated devices and offer a path to upgrade, since you’re already there.
Maybe now would be a great time, too, to talk about that next step up in home automation. If it’s been a few years since you were in that client’s home, it’s possible they now find themselves bouncing between a dozen or so different control apps to access different devices. Do they want a simplified solution?
Think outside of your current customer base as well. Use this as an opportunity to build a mini marketing campaign in your community. Post a blog about the announcement, boost some social media posts that explain what’s happening, and drive awareness around the fact that you’re available to help homeowners determine whether their devices are impacted or to assist in upgrading to a newer solution.
Don’t let an opportunity like this pass. Get out in front of it before those customers start searching elsewhere for that replacement.
