iOS users: Nest Thermostat update on the way
The popular Nest Thermostat will see a significant software upgrade within the week. The system, popular with iOS users who can control it from their iPhones or iPads, will see improvements to its auto-schedule software, a new Quick View option, and enhanced system test features.
Nest says the Auto-Schedule software can "...help you save up to 6% more on your heating and cooling bills by learning new schedules quickly and adapting to changes better. So when your schedule shifts – like when summer's over and the kids are back at school – Nest can now catch on faster that the temperature adjustments you're making are part of a new pattern rather than just one-off changes."
Quick View is a major GUI change. Pushing the thermostat ring will now display weather, indoor temperatures and humidity. You will also get a summary of energy used the previous day, and the next change to the schedule.
Finally, a System Test will walk you through your attached hardware and check functionality. The update will be pushed from the Nest servers automatically. There will also be updates to the iOS Nest applications to support the changes.
Nest says other new features are on the way. The company is getting pushed by competitors like Honeywell. I'd love to see the Nest use my iPhone to figure out if I am near home or not, so it can set the auto-away function using geo-fencing, rather than using the motion sensing feature of the Nest to see if I am home.
