Thinner, Happier, More Productive: Nest Thermostat Gets an Upgrade

Nest Labs, the connected device company in Google’s Alphabet, is releasing a third version of its flagship connected device, the Learning Thermostat. Its key specs sound a lot like phone specs: It is slimmer than earlier models, with a larger, higher resolution screen.

People in the industry say Nest, which sells three different devices, is focusing more on software, billing itself as an integral platform for the connected home. The two new features in the latest thermostat show that focus. Farsight lets customers activate the digital screen from afar, lighting up with the time or temperature. Furnace Heads-Up does just that — gives alerts on the thermostat screen and mobile devices when something is amiss with the home’s heat settings.

Nest said its thermostats have saved four billion kilowatt hours of energy “in millions of homes” since launching in 2011.

Its upgraded device retails for $249, the same price as the earlier two models. But you can’t buy this one from Apple; last month, the iPhone maker removed Nest products from its digital and retails shelves. As of Tuesday morning, only Nest’s new security camera was available on Apple’s online store.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

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