Mikey Campbell
Smarthome device maker ecobee scored coveted Apple Store shelf space as online and brick-and-mortar outlets on Monday started sales of the ecobee3 Internet-connected thermostat, one of the first products selected by Apple's retail arm to challenge Google-owned Nest.
The ecobee3 debuted in September as an answer to the industry's lack of support for multi-room spaces, something the company calls a fundamental design flaw in all thermostats. Instead of reading temperature from a single location, such as a hallway, the ecobee3 connects with up to 32 wireless remote sensors to automatically adjust HVAC settings in mulitple rooms.
As with other smart home thermostats, ecobee's device can be accessed and controlled via app, allowing for scheduling, remote control and off-site monitoring. With an iPhone or cellular-connected iPad, users are able to send commands to their system from anywhere with a data connection.
The ecobee3 continuously monitors air conditioner hardware and can send out alerts when something goes awry. Other notification options include temperature spikes and regular service reminders.
So-called smart thermostats have been around for some time, but it wasn't until the slick looking Nest Learning Thermostat first debuted as an Apple Store exclusive that the sector took off. Nest Labs, cofounded by former Apple exec Tony Fadell and engineer Matt Rogers, subsequently launched a connected smoke and carbon monoxide detector called Protect before being bought out by Google last year for $3.2 billion.
While Nest products still remain on Apple Store shelves, the ecobee3 will likely bring competition to the space with a rich feature set and $249.95 price tag, identical to Nest's Learning Thermostat.
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33 Comments
I'm intrigued. I've always wondered about additional sensors for different locations around the house so I'm glad it's finally being addressed.
A 2-pack of remote sensors is another $79 but you can buy the ecobee3 with 3 remote sensors for $313 (the ecobee3 comes with one remote sensor). That's a stiff price but not as bad as the Nest smoke detectors. Of course, I don't believe a single ecobee3 can control an HVAC that includes multiple zones so all you're getting with the remotes is something that will work even when you have an ironing board with a hot iron near the only thermostat. I just wish these units wouldn't cost as much as a regular laptop (sorry, cheap PC but these thermostats aren't really doing that much). Sell them for a third of the price and you'd sell 10x as many.
I think the Nest does the same thing with multiple Protect units around your house acting as temperature sensors.
Definitely not as attractive as Nest. It looks like an Apple TV clone. [quote name="tlevier" url="/t/183472/apple-store-now-selling-ecobee3-smart-thermostat-stokes-smarthome-competition#post_2640919"]I'm intrigued. I've always wondered about additional sensors for different locations around the house so I'm glad it's finally being addressed.[/quote] I always thought Nest missed the boat with the branding of Nest Eggs that could be set where ever in the home to get a better idea of various temperatures and movement.
I'm intrigued. I've always wondered about additional sensors for different locations around the house so I'm glad it's finally being addressed.
The Honeywell Prestige (and newer Prestige 2) thermostat has had this capability for years and is much easier to use than a Nest. The Honeywell also avoids the inaccuracy of "learning" people's comings and goings when they move about places within the house that Google... I mean Nest... can't see you. I tried a Nest and it was frequently not turning on the AC when it should, just because it couldn't see down the hall and around a corner that someone was in the house sweltering.
Nest released its "AirWave" technology a while back for homes with AC, but Honeywell already had this for years and uses it for AC and heat. A lot of what people think is new/unique to Nest was already available from Honeywell. Furthermore, the cute design of the Nest is actually difficult to use for anything other than setting the temperature; it's much like the horrible Samsung Gear user interface. The Honeywell Prestige interface is easy to use like an iPad.