For the first time in the pro channel, Google and Nest will present a unified front to the smart-home industry, sharing a booth at CEDIA 2017 and collaborating on IoT initiatives for the channel.
The sister companies within Alphabet already “build connected devices for the home that complement each other,” Gene LaNois, GM of the Nest Professional Channel tells CE Pro “so it made sense to join forces with shared messaging for home-technology integrators and vendors alike.”
It might seem natural for the two Alphabet companies to share a common platform – not just in technology but marketing as well – but such a thing takes time, “and the timing was right,” says LaNois.
“This is a really significant move for us,” he says. “It’s the first time we’ve done something like this together for the pro channel, and I think it’s telling that we chose to do it at CEDIA, the event for professional home technologists.”
He says both organizations recognize the important role integrators play in driving smart-home adoption, and especially ensuring a positive customer experience over the long term.
Fireside Chat at CEDIA 2017
Meet the Google & Nest Product Managers
CE Pro is hosting a 20-minute discussion with product representatives from Google and Nest at their CEDIA booth (#5349) on Friday, Sept. 8, at 11:30 a.m.
CE Pro founding editor Julie Jacobson is moderating the “Fireside Chat,” featuring product and marketing managers from both companies – Mike Soucie from Nest and Mark Spates from Google.
The duo will discuss the companies’ products, smart home vision and plans for the channel. In addition, they will respond to questions from the CEDIA community.
CE Pro is taping the event to share with a wide audience following the show.
Google + Nest Fireside Chat
Fri., Sept. 8, 11:30 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
Booth #5349
While Nest has embraced the channel since the early days of its thermostats, Google is relatively new to the pro market, having launched Google Home and the Google Assistant less than one year ago. Most of the major home-automation vendors already support the voice-control platform.
Also new to the channel is Google Wifi, a wireless mesh networking system for whole-house coverage.
These newer solutions complement Google’s established Chromecast line of streaming products and services, which has been adopted by some of the leading audio brands in the integrator channel.
All three Google categories – personal assistants, Wi-Fi networking, and streaming media – will be represented at CEDIA.
A Google spokesperson explains how the products complement each other and enhance the smart-home ecosystem in general: “The Google Assistant helps users access their technology via voice, including media from Chromecast and other entertainment devices. And our mesh Wifi fortifies the network to improve all services throughout the home — from streaming to voice processing to uninterrupted communications with smart devices.”
Not coincidentally, Nest makes a whole lot of those smart devices — thermostats, smoke/CO alarms and IP cameras — all of which will be demonstrated in the shared booth with Google.
At CEDIA, Nest will demo its newest connected security product, the Nest Cam IQ — the company’s first camera with a 4k image sensor.
Besides the new hardware features, Nest Cam IQ is packed with advanced software and services, including person detection, “familiar-face” recognition and audio analytics.
This actionable intelligence can be used to trigger home-automation events or alerts, based on what type of person approaches (a familiar face or stranger), or what the camera hears. A dog barking? People talking?
LaNois says, “We’re excited to bring the combined Nest + Google experience to the custom integrator channel for the first time to discuss what we’ve built and our vision for the connected home.”
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