It’s no secret that Google will be killing off their Works with Nest program as they continue to build better integration with the Google Home app. So those who own Philip Hue lights shouldn’t really be worried if they received a notification that the integration with Nest products will be discontinued starting November 17, 2020. But as they emphasized in their notice, this is a temporary situation as Google will soon be announcing the new connection with the Google Home app.
We know that Google has been working on a new Works with Hey Google integration to bring smart controls more conveniently to the Google Home app. The Ambient reports that it’s been 18 months since they first announced it and it looks like we’re still not getting any news as when it should be ready for rollout. It is expected to replace all the Works with Nest features that smart homeowners have gotten used to.
Hue users received a notification on their app that the integration with Nest Thermostat, Nest Cam, and Nest Protect will be discontinued by November 17. This is part of Google’s plan to transition to Works with Hey Google which will particularly work on Google Home devices. Normally you would be advised to wait first before migrating from a Nest account to a Google account but that wasn’t mentioned here.
It might be a bit inconvenient at first for users of Philips Hue app but even as we wait for the eventual integration, there are workarounds that you can already use that will not rely on Nest devices. Google recently added the Home and Away presence sensing Routines so you can still have your Hue lights turn on when the system detects that everyone has left home. But once Work with Hey Google is on board, we’ll have more functionalities of course.
As to when the new integration or functionality will roll out to users, that is still the main mystery right now. Hopefully, when it does roll out to Google Home speakers, we’ll be getting back some of the smart things about our devices and homes.