Nest looking for firmer footing in homes via new developer program
There are plenty of statistics and reports about the Internet of Things and the billions of connected devices set to take over the planet by 2020, but Nest is one of the few so far that is both tangible and understood by the average consumer.
Nest, an Internet connected device so sleek and ultra-modern in style that it was deemed worthy of being sold in Apple Stores, is actually just a simple, reimagined take on one of the most mind-numbingly boring but completely obligatory home appliances: the thermostat.
At the same time, these qualities make Nest a prime example for a machine-to-machine (M2M) platform that could connect up appliances in the home, and then eventually give way to that aforementioned global takeover.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, the makers of the nifty thermostat have some work to do first.
That starts with enlisting an army of developers to brainstorm use cases and figure out just how to link up home appliances.
Nest Labs is equipping the members of its new developer program, launching in early 2014, with a new web API for third-parties to draft their own apps that could connect mobile devices and other web-enabled home appliances with Nest.
Boasting to have already saved up to one billion kilowatts of energy in homes across more than 90 countries, Nest also has a finer-tuned goal of encouraging and enabling reducing home-energy consumption rates. One of the core advertised benefits to Nest in the first place is saving consumers energy (and money) in the long run, so there are a lot of moving parts for developers to consider and work with when getting started next year.