Google's home security package flies the Nest, Chocolate Factory pledges software support – for now

Bad news for those who have bought into the Nest Secure home surveillance system – Google has surprised many by halting further deployments. The Secure package consists of motion sensors for doors and windows that communicate with the Hub, a modern-day version of the traditional home alarm keypad but with NFC Tag key fobs and …

[Anonymous Coward]

Surely by now...

People know not to rely on Google products for anything of major importance?

They are way too keen on shutting down products that have lots of users (be it hardware or software).

Anon because of this:

A place I worked, even though Google (paid for) mapping APIs likely to stay up and running, took decision to use different paid for mapping APIs, just because Google cannot be trusted for long term support and didn't want anything really important reliant on them when rug could be pulled at any time.

I'm sure plenty of other businesses take a similar worst case scenario with Google - a significant, hidden, revenue loss based on their past history.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Surely by now...

Nets were not Google products when most people bought them. Unfortunately for them, Google bought Nest and the writing was on the wall. Google spent $3.2Billion on Nest and now they are throwing it in the bin. I hope the IP and tech they bought was worth it. On the other hand, maybe buying up companies for silly money and then shutting it all down a few years later is some sort of long game tax avoidance scheme. Or, on the gripping hand, maybe they just don't like other companies being successful so kill off those who might grow too big before they become to big to kill?

[0laf]

"Smart products" = "short term" products.

Joe Public doesnt understadn when they buy "Smart" they are buying to the commercial world of 3yr depreciation cycles.

People might not be so keen if they know they are having to rebuy their kit every 3yr.

[Anonymous Coward]

"I tolja so"

A friend dropped megabucks on Nest Secure.

I showed him all the stuff Google has abandoned, including G+, Revolv, and others. I also talked about bouncing your private stuff through other people's servers. Nope. Ignored me.

So I'll be doing the "I told you so" dance.

[fidodogbreath]

Add it to the list

Courtesy of Ars Technica.

[Kevin McMurtrie]

Re: Add it to the list

That's merely a list of consumer products. The number of startups that Google purchases and extinguishes is disheartening. It almost seems like Google is suppressing an entire industry to maintain an environment where their aging products thrive.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Add it to the list

Google as a company seems to have the attention span and attitude of failing university students who just want to party with their "new" ideas and toys 'till they get bored and move on to the new shiny.

[0laf]

Re: Add it to the list

Is there an equivalent MS series of murdered former golden child products?

WinPho

Zune

Clippy

Kinect

Groove

Bob

[Chris G]

Quelle surprise (Not)

I seem to remember a number of people in these columns who predicted this.

[Warm Braw]

Re: Quelle surprise (Not)

I presume this means the end of the partnership with ADT that El Reg announced a mere 3 months ago. Certainly the "smart home" products on ADT's website seem to be their own brand.

My skeptical comment at the time was that although it would be a good thing if a support contract obliged Google to pay some attention to the longevity of its products, it seemed unlikely. I'm nevertheless genuinely surprised by the speed at which this has happened: it seems to be unprecedented even for Google.

[Kev99]

Oh, boy! More fools getting duped by thinking the internet is safe & secure. Since a net is just a bunch of holes held together with string, I really can't get too obset that any business that uses the 'net to store data has been bit.

[Kane]

deader than corduroy flares with satin lining...

Shirley you mean deader than A-line flares with pockets in the knees?

[I ain't Spartacus]

What's going on at Google?

"We are committed to bringing our users the same feature and software support they've always had with Nest Secure, including existing cross-product integrations within the Nest ecosystem. We will also continue to deliver critical security updates and software fixes."

OK, this could just be boilerplate, and not wanting to admit they made a mistake.

But if you take it at face value, what they're saying here is that they're about to release yet another product that does similar things, rather than continue with the one they've already produced. Which presumably they're going to abandon a year later, then rinse and repeat.

Have Google's board got ADHD or something? Or possibly ants in their pants corduroy flares with satin lining...

[Psmo]

Re: What's going on at Google?

Or they realised that Nest customers were not going to stand for the sort of product changes that Google had previously proposed. Rather than try to find a middle road, they're going to burn some bridges and start again.

Is that Googly?