Smart home devices usually offload as much processing power to external servers as possible, which means they often become paperweights when the servers go away. Google has now announced two of its older security systems will shut down in 2024, along with some connected services.
Google is ending support for two devices on April 8, 2024. First is the Dropcam, which was first released in 2012 by the company of the same name, which Nest aquired in 2014. The Nest Secure home security system is shutting down on the same day, which was a sensor and keypad arming system. It was released in 2017 and was discontinued three years later with no direct replacement.
At the same time, Google is shutting down the remnants of “Works with Nest,” the original software platform that other services used for interacting with Nest products (e.g. automations with IFTTT). The program was phased out in 2019, and most Works with Nest integrations are already running on Google’s unified smart home platform. Any services still using Works with Nest will be cut off on September 29, 2023.
Both devices were never migrated from the old Nest app to the new Google Home app, so there were already signs that they might be going away. It’s a shame to see them turn into e-waste, but anyone still using a Dropcam can get a free Nest Cam from Google as a replacement. Nest Secure owners will get “an exclusive offer for a complimentary next-generation security system from ADT (up to $485 value), or $200 to use on the Google Store,” according to a statement provided to The Verge.
Smart home devices never last for forever, but Google has a better record with support lifespans and trade-ins than some other manufacturers. For example, the original Chromecast player from 2013 is still (mostly) functional, though it stopped receiving feature updates in 2019.
Source: The Verge, 9to5Google
