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HomeKit competitor Nest Weave is now open to third-party developers

Nest Weave, the communications protocol that Nest uses to make its connected home devices talk to each other, definitely isn’t new. But as of today, Nest is making it part of its Works with Nest program so that third-party hardware makers and developers can use the protocol in their own products…

Before now, developers could use Nest’s cloud API to connect to Nest products, which — while it’s easy implement — is more restricted because it requires that devices have a Wi-Fi connection. Weave is going to take more investment and time to build into products, and it works with products that might not have or need Wi-Fi.

Five years ago when we started Nest, we realized this was a problem. None of the communication protocols out there worked for us, so we ended up inventing our own. It’s called Nest Weave. We’ve been using it in Nest products for years, and next year we’ll be opening it up to everyone who wants to make a connected home product.

And Nest says that developers can pick and choose which parts of Works with Nest they want to take advantage of. “Whether you want to make an app, hardware product or both, you can pick and choose whatever you need: an operating system, communication protocol, cloud services, user accounts, security and more,” the company said in its blog post.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1&v=f3JzZsE8Xas]

Also, Nest says that Yale, a maker of door locks, is taking advantage of the newly-available protocol. Using Nest Weave, and Nest’s cloud services and app, they built the Linus lock that lets you check status of the door being open or closed, see who has walked through the door, and create special passcodes for guests from the Nest app.

Chek out the Linus lock below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU-vKAiPwgg]

Apple’s own smart home platform HomeKit saw the first products to support it launch earlier this year with more on the way.

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Comments

  1. adisor19 - 9 years ago

    So their official stand is : NO HOMEKIT.

    Good. No Nest products from me. Vote with your wallet.

    • Ever use homekit? It’s buggy as hell right now.

      • myke2241 - 9 years ago

        I am sure Weave protocol will be buggy too. why should i use google products when they sell my user info / metrics after i purchase a their products? I think its a little discerning that Google went on record saying they could serve up ads on peoples Nest thermostats. anyway i digress, HomeKit will get better in time. we will see what happens but for me, i won’t be purchasing any Weave (horrible name) products that are made by Nest or Google!

    • Rio (@Crzy_rio) - 9 years ago

      Take a look at the Ecobee.

      I was initial waiting for Nest to get Homekit but after researching in to Ecobee, it looks to be a better product than Nest and has the added bonus of HomeKit.

      • Josh Lambert - 9 years ago

        I have been looking at Ecobee as well earlier this year, and it does indeed seem better than Nest. Now that they will support HomeKit, I think I know for sure which Ill purchase when I have the spare change.

  2. This friends is why home automation continues to be an unreachable goal for the average consumer. Every time some new player comes in they think they know how to make a better wheel – one that’s going to work so well, but is totally incompatible with all other wheels already available and in use.

    I’ve got a Nest thermostat. It’s cute, but apart from being controlled via the internet, it doesn’t do anything truly useful nor revolutionary that any standard programmable model hasn’t done for 20 years. It doesn’t save more energy, it’s less accurate and has far more propensity to swing due to the ambiguity of its display/setting (A setting of “72” can actually be anything from 71.5 to 72.5″). Don’t get me started on the fact it doesn’t display the current temp nor the time.

  3. tinman8443 - 9 years ago

    UGH! I hate this news. I don’t need Nest effing Weave. I want Siri to be able to control my home automation. Screw this. I like my nest but I have never been more ready to switch.

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Avatar for Stephen Hall Stephen Hall

Stephen is Growth Director at 9to5. If you want to get in touch, follow me on Twitter. Or, email at stephen (at) 9to5mac (dot) com, or an encrypted email at hallstephenj (at) protonmail (dot) com.