Nest opens up it's Nest Cam (and presumably Dropcam) API

I see some confusion about how the existing nest communication protocols work.

It may be helpful to understand that there are actually two separate protocols in place.

There is a cloud component which works with Wi-Fi which is used to access your nest account in the cloud. This is how you set up your notifications and stuff like that.

There is also a separate local mesh protocol which connects the devices to each other. This functions even if your Wi-Fi is down (not just your local Internet connection.) It was this feature which enabled them to get nest protect wireless interconnect certified by the national fire protection Association, because even if the room where your router exists is the one with the fire and your Wi-Fi router burns up, your interconnected smoke detectors will still operate.

It is this mesh network that is now going to be opened to “works with nest.” So it’s not a Wi-Fi service. The same devices will also appear in your nest.com account, which is connected to by the local Wi-Fi network, so in that sense other devices like the Yale lock will have have data flow over both networks, even though they won’t communicate by Wi-Fi themselves. Instead, what ever device on the network is Wi-Fi-enabled will act as a “pseudo hub” which is how the Wi-Fi based notifications will get sent out.

Obviously, this is significant for battery life on something like the lock. It’s also important for reliability. And it explains why mesh is part of the picture.

And again, this is a protocol that nest has been using for about three years, they just didn’t open it up to other devices before this.

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Since a good portion of the Nest founders came from Apple, I would say it’s in the Nest corporate DNA to maintain tight control. Depending on your point of view, that could be a good or bad thing. For some the top priority is a simple experience, and having tight controls over your all aspects of your platform, including external partners, can make it easier to provide that experience. For others, myself included, I prefer to have a more open ecosystem. And although it may be harder, I think it is still possible to have an open ecosystem that also provides a good user experience. Sadly it often ends up being less about a particular protocol and more about philosophical priorities. :pensive:

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