It was a bit anticlimactic given the earlier “leaks” but now we have the official announcement of the new Nest Cams and Doorbells that Google is releasing. They seem to be more affordable and “smarter” than the previous devices. The battery-powered Google Nest Cam and Google Nest Doorbell are available for pre-order already and will be shipped starting August 24. Meanwhile, the Google Nest Cam with floodlight and the second generation Google Nest Cam will be available soon at an unspecified date.
Google says these next-generation cameras and doorbells have been “trained to send you the most helpful alerts.” These security tools are able to process what they see on the device out of the box so you don’t need to subscribe to anything in order for it to work, at least with its basic functions. It can recognize things like people, animals, packages, and vehicles. The battery-powered cam and doorbell can be attached anywhere in the house without needing a nearby power outlet and makes it easier to install as well. But for those who prefer wired devices, you can also do that with the battery devices.
The new devices of course work well together in the Google and Nest eco-system. The new cameras are integrated with the Google Home app which is supposed to be the go-to app for all connected devices. If your Wi-Fi is down, the Nest Doorbell has a local storage fallback and the Nest Cam has on-device recording as well. When your connection is restored, they will upload the events on your cloud. Design-wise, the Cams and Doorbells will match other Nest devices including the softer edges and muted color palettes.
If you want to unlock some of the other functions of your new camera and doorbell, you can get the Nest Aware subscription. It will give you event video history of 30-60 days compared to the three hours with no subscription. There’s also familiar face detection (except in Illinois) and 24/7. video history on the wired Nest Cams with Nest Aware Plus. Subscription starts at $6/month with Nest Aware Plus at $12.month.
The Google Nest Cam (battery) and the Google Nest Doorbell (battery) are priced at $179.99 and can already be pre-ordered on the Google Store. The Google nest Cam with floodlight will cost you $279.99 while the second generation Google Nest Cam (wired) is pretty affordable at $99.99. The latter two devices will be available soon.
