The Great Cutoff: October 25th
By October 25th, your Nest thermostat will stop taking your calls. Literally. No phone control, no Google Home commands, no smartwatch taps, no sweet-talking it from Alexa. If you’re still rocking a Gen 1 or Gen 2 Nest Learning Thermostat, the only way to adjust your temp will be by physically walking up to it like it’s 1987. Brutal.
How to Tell If You’re Affected
Not sure which one you have? Check the image below. If your thermostat looks like the first or second model shown, you’re officially on Google’s “sunset” list. If it’s a Gen1 or Gen2, it’s getting cut off. In other words, it’ll still function as a thermostat, but only if you walk up and control it right from the unit itself. No apps. No voice commands. No remote anything. Just you, your wall, and a dial.
Quick tip: Gen 2 and Gen 3 look almost identical, so look closely. The Gen 2 has a thicker black ring around the outside, while the Gen 3 is a bit slimmer and has a slightly larger screen. If you’re not sure, your best bet is to match it against the images and play thermostat detective.
My Nest Setup and the Frustration Factor
As someone who bought in hard to the Google Nest ecosystem (Gen2 thermostat, Nest Protect smoke detectors, Google Home, the works), this feels like a breakup I didn’t see coming. I’m not upset… I’m just disappointed. Actually, no, I’m a bit upset and disappointed.
This Wasn’t in the Fine Print
There was no warning that in 2025 Google would decide your hardware is no longer supported. It reminds me of when Intuit strong-armed everyone on Quickbooks Desktop into their cloud service. Buy once, get support for a few years, then poof, gotta pay again if you want the features we already paid for. It’s the new business model: Planned Obsolescence with a Smile™.
The $130 Discount: Nice Gesture or Strategic Hustle?
Google is offering a $130 discount on the new 4th-gen Nest. That’s nice and all, but let’s be real, this is a hustle. They want us to “upgrade” just so they can sell us more stuff in a few years when this version gets orphaned too. It’s like giving someone a coupon after stealing their lunch.
Maybe I will upgrade.
Maybe I won’t.
Maybe It’s Time to Shop Around
Because this could be a great time to look around. Ecobee’s looking good these days. Even Amazon has a smart thermostat now. There’s something poetic about switching to another brand when yours decides to pull the rug out from under you, or the ductwork out from behind you.
Gen 3 Still Supported, But Why?
Let’s not pretend this is about innovation. Nest Gen 1 came out in 2011. Gen 2 launched a year later. That means a bunch of these units have been in homes for over a decade, working perfectly fine. They’re not dumb. They’re not broken. They’re just not part of the shiny new club anymore.
Meanwhile, Gen 3 is still supported, despite looking nearly identical to Gen 2. The only real difference? A slightly thinner ring, a tad larger screen, and probably a better lobbyist. That leaves a bad taste. It’s not about capability, it’s about control.
Google’s Official Reason: Streamlining
Google says this is about streamlining services and focusing support on newer hardware. That sounds like corporate code for “we don’t want to keep paying to maintain your older stuff.” Which, to be fair, I get. But you don’t pull the plug without warning like it’s an awkward breakup. These devices were marketed as long-term investments, not temporary tech flings.
Communication Breakdown
What frustrates me most is how quietly it was rolled out. There was no big email blast with blinking red text. Just a support page update and maybe a discount code tucked into your inbox, if you’re lucky. That’s not communication, that’s a shrug in HTML form.
And here’s the kicker: the device will still work. It’ll keep turning your HVAC on and off. But all the smart stuff? Gone. Which means all the reasons many of us paid a premium? Also gone. You’re left with a beautiful metal donut that only listens when you touch it.
Remote Control Wasn’t Just a Gimmick
It’s not just about convenience either. Remote access is crucial for folks who travel, manage rental properties, or just want to avoid running across the house in a towel to adjust the temp. Removing that isn’t just a feature downgrade, it’s a bit of a lifestyle regression. Yes, I know how silly that sounds.
Is the 4th-Gen Nest Worth It?
The 4th-gen Nest may be better in some ways. It has radar-based presence detection, supports Matter, and looks slightly more modern. But that doesn’t make this OK. A better device doesn’t excuse a worse policy.
So… What Now?
If you’re like me, you’re weighing the options. Stick with Nest and risk being ghosted again in five years? Jump to a different platform and hope they treat their users better? Or just go full analog and slap one of those classic Honeywell dials on the wall and call it a day?
It depends on what you value. If you’re deep into the Google Home ecosystem and don’t want to start over, the $130 discount may be enough to keep you in the fold. But if this left a sour taste, maybe it’s time to date around. Ecobee, Amazon, even some of the newer smart home upstarts… they’re all eyeing this moment as a chance to win over some very betrayed Nest users.
For now, I’m keeping my options open. But come October, my thermostat will no longer be the all-knowing, ever-connected piece of smart home magic it once was. It’ll just be a temperature dial that occasionally reminds me how temporary “smart” features really are.
Final Thoughts
Moral of the story?
Check your thermostat model. If it’s Gen 1 or 2, brace yourself. And maybe start dating around in the smart thermostat world. Because come October, it’s back to the wall dial… unless you make a move.
