Google pulls the plug on your old Nest – but you get nearly 50% off a new thermostat

If you have an older Google Nest thermostat, it might be losing its smart capabilities later this year.

In a post last week on the official support blog, Google announced that it would end support for three thermostat models: The original first-generation Nest Learning Thermostat from 2011, the second-generation Nest Learning Thermostat that followed a year later in 2012, and the second generation of the European version of the Nest Learning Thermostat from 2014.

No more smart features

Not only is Google stopping future software updates for those devices, it is pulling all smart features. The thermostats will still work, including existing schedules, and you can continue to control the temperature and set schedules directly on the device, Google says, but you will not be able to control anything with the Nest app or Google Assistant.

Support ends on Oct. 25, 2025. No other devices are affected at this time.

An olive branch

To lessen the blow a little, Google is making an offer to affected customers. If you are still using one of these thermostats, Google will send you a $130 off promo code to purchase the fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat (which ZDNET’s Maria Diaz called “a beautiful piece of tech that works” and one that “you can count on working for years — or maybe even decades”). With an MSRP of $280, that cuts the price to $150.

Google said it was making the change to “fully invest” in the latest generation of thermostats.

Goodbye, Europe

In the same announcement, Google also says it is pulling its thermostats out of the European market entirely. “Heating systems in Europe are unique,” it explained, “and have a variety of hardware and software requirements that make it challenging to build for the diverse set of homes.”

If you have an original Nest thermostat, there is a decent chance it still works well, so this is sure to be frustrating for a lot of users. Pulling updates is one thing, and would not be as big of a deal, but completely pulling functionality is a big choice. A nearly 50 percent discount is a pretty good offer, but changing out a hard-wired thermostat is a bit more complex than simply unplugging and tossing a smart device that has reached its end of life.

Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.