Nest devices get better at knowing when you're home

If you're a Nest owner, you've probably experienced the company's thermostat flipping itself to Away mode while you were still home. Most likely, that's because someone didn't walk past the motion sensor on the tech in a timely fashion. Thankfully, Nest announced two new features that will improve the the gadgets' ability to tell when someone's home. First, there's a new Home/Away Assist that uses your phone's location in addition to the motion sensors and software algorithms inside the household gear.

Worried the Nest app will keep tabs on your location at all times? The company reiterates that it keeps user privacy a top priority and the Home/Away Assist will only ping your phone to determine if you're home. What's more, that info is kept secure via an encrypted connection.

There's a second new feature that also lends a hand with improving accuracy: Family Accounts. Before now, you had to share a log-in in order for everyone to have access to a thermostat, smoke detector or camera. With the new Family Accounts, up to 10 folks can use their own sign-in credentials inside the Nest app. Those individual log-ins will also help with the Home/Away Assist by only switching to Away mode when everyone leaves the house.

With the new changes, you should see performance improvements across Nest's entire line of products. The Nest Cam will be a better security camera now that it has a better idea of when you leave and return. Nest Protect can run that monthly sound check while you're at the office instead of potentially interrupting your evening. Works with Nest devices will get a boost as well, so those smart lights are less likely to turn off when you're still sitting in on the couch. The new features are available now, so grab the latest version of the iOS and Android apps to see how well they work.