The wait is over -- Nest's outdoor camera hits retail today
Wondering when Nest's next product reaches stores? You're in luck -- today's the today.
Nest, a smart-home startup turned Google/Alphabet brand, announced its upcoming Nest Cam Outdoor back in July. Today it's officially joining the lineup, with immediate US availability on Nest's online store and Amazon, as well as Best Buy, Home Depot and Lowe's. UK availability is expected to follow later this year.
The device itself -- a $200/£150 live streaming outdoor camera -- isn't a major departure for the brand, but we've been waiting for it for a long time. Founded in 2010 by former Apple employees Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers, the company's first product, the $249 Nest Learning Thermostat, was introduced just a year later. But despite tweaks and relaunches of existing devices -- the thermostat, for instance, is now in its third generation -- there haven't been many new product announcements.
In 2013, the team introduced its Protect smoke and carbon monoxide detector. The following year, it was acquired by Google and it also acquired its own startup, the DIY camera maker Dropcam. Then it released its updated take on Dropcam cameras in 2015 with Nest Cam, now called Nest Cam Indoor.
A report by The Information pointed to Nest co-founder and former CEO Tony Fadell as the reason behind the slow product rollout and he announced his departure from the brand in June to work instead as an adviser to Alphabet CEO Larry Page. Not long after, Nest Cam Outdoor was announced.
You can now select color finishes for your Nest Learning Thermostat: stainless steel, white, black and copper.
While an outdoor-rated device is entirely new for the smart home giant, Nest Cam Outdoor shares the same 1080p video camera resolution, 130-degree field of view and other specs with Nest Cam Indoor. It works on the existing Nest app, too, although the team did release some significant software upgrades to both the Android and iPhone apps today, including free 3-hour storage for every customer. Be sure to check out my full review of Nest Cam Outdoor for more details.
In addition to the outdoor camera's retail launch today, Nest also announced new white, black and copper finishes for its thermostats. The new color options are available for the same $249 price as the original stainless steel model, which will continue to be sold. The copper and black styles are in stock now, with the white finish following soon after on September 20.