Tech Insider reports that Nest plans to release an outdoor version of the Nest Cam capable of handling tough external applications, a move that is in-line with CEO Marwan Fawaz’s recent call for the company to surprise and delight its customers.
The current internally rated Nest Cam offers a 130-degree angle of view, streams 1080p video, has audio capability and allows live monitoring, as well as reporting motion events to a mobile application.
And in a letter to staff published by The Verge, Nest’s new CEO Marwan Fawaz debunked persistent rumours that Nest was for sale and told his team the only agenda was to “lead in the connected home space” and to “grow with innovative products”.
“I’m counting on each one of you to help maintain our culture of disruption, the source of the Nest magic,” Fawaz told staff. “This culture is how we’ll continue to lead in the connected home space, continue to attract the best talent around, and help save even more energy and lives.
“Many of you have asked if there’s a change in strategy or direction. There is not. We need to focus on delivering the great roadmap we have in place. This is how we’ll reset the narrative about Nest, reminding our customers, partners, and competitors of how we became the #1 connected home brand in the first place. Nest understands design, customer needs, and the importance of home. I know you will all work hard in the coming weeks to ensure we continue to surprise and delight our customers and I’m very excited to be a part of it.”
In 2014 Google paid $US3.2 billion for automation device maker Nest Labs, an automation manufacturer founded in 2010. As a Google subsidiary, Nest Labs went on to buy U.S. video-monitoring company Dropcam, which makes cloud-based security cameras, for $US555 million in cash. ♦
