Google to offer $129 Nest controlled by hand gestures, says Bloomberg

Google is preparing to offer a $129 version of its Nest smart-home control device in "coming weeks," according to a report this afternoon from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, citing multiple unnamed sources.

The device would be a price drop from the existing versions that retail for $249 and $169. 

The device will incorporate hand gestures, reports Gurman, in place of some controls that are currently touch-based:

Google is also replacing some touch-based controls with a new technology that relies on hand gestures, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private details. The new thermostat will include a sensor similar to the Soli system included in last year's Google Pixel 4 phone. The component reads a user's hand gestures, so they can swipe their hand up or down near the device to control the temperature or move their hand toward or away to navigate menus. A Google spokesperson declined to comment.