One of the leading Internet of Things designers recently announced that their product was going to connect a home to the web even more.
On January 5, Nest announced that it had a whopping 15 new partners in its “Works With Nest” developer program, which means that tech-hungry consumers will soon be able to connect everything from their refrigerators to their outlets to their lightbulbs to the Internet.
“For years, people have been talking about home automation,” Nest explains on its website. “There are universal remotes, digital wall panels and apps that let you control the devices in your home. But ‘Works with Nest’ is more than just an on/off switch. It’s about making your house a more thoughtful and conscious home™.”
The idea behind the Works With Nest program is to connect third party partners with the company’s Internet of Things software, and already includes scores of major brands and devices. When it launched, it had already partnered with Jawbone to create thermostats that adjust to the user’s sleep cycle and Whirlpool to create dryers that finish their loads when the user gets home.
“Unlike the struggling wearable technology category, the physical web and the Internet of Things is the way of the future for homeowners. Connected homes are no longer just a convenience but are a necessity, especially for those who are away from home for long periods of time,” says Tom Ajello, Co-Founder of Makeable. “Having a connected home is already achievable on a myriad of budgets and their accessibility will only increase as more products like Nest come to market.”
Now, Nest is working with several new, big name companies to connect once-analog products to the Internet, including Phillips Hue lightbulbs and Lutron lighting products, to create lights that can flash or change color when smoke or carbon monoxide is found.
It’s now working with LG to create a refrigerator that naturally enters into an energy-saving mode.
There’s also the new August Smart Locks, which will automatically turn the thermostat down when the consumer leaves, and turn it back up upon arrival. The Automatic, a smart car device, does the same thing, but bases the decision on when the consumer turns their car off or on near their home.
Ooma, another new partner, can be programmed to call emergency services when a home alarm goes off, or can forward a home phone’s calls to the owner’s cell phone or office phone when they’re away.
Zuli smartplugs can tell where the consumer is using electricity in the home, and adjust accordingly to save energy.
These were only some of the many new and exciting products coming from Nest. At the current rate the company seems to be going — and the rate at which other Internet of Things designers seem to be as well — it’s likely that everything will be connected to the Internet in a few years.