Nest to release cheaper version of its award-winning Learning Thermostat

Perhaps a far cry from what Nest Labs has been known for but now under new management, it looks like the company is looking to attract new customers into its fold—those who can’t afford the more premium products. Nest, under CEO Marwan Fawaz, will introduce the Thermostat E, which is a new, cheaper take on the Learning Thermostat. It drops the price from US$249 to $169 and is built to blend into the background instead of standing out as Nest products have been known to do.

The Thermostat E will have a white polycarbonate plastic replacing the metal ring. The LCD screen is covered with a frosted display that fades to light gray when it isn’t in use. The Thermostat E takes a more minimalist approach to design. You’d see some activity when its motion sensor is triggered, there will be large orange numbers that’ll show the current temperature. And while the Thermostat E works with the Nest app and it learns your heating and cooling habits, this gadget comes with an automatic schedule built-in and based from data Nest has collected over the years from its users. It doesn’t have a c-wire connector either, but Nest claims this won’t be an issue for most homes. What Nest is highlighting with the Thermostat E is its ability to save you money over time. Nest’s own studies claim a smart thermostat can save you around US$131 to $145 a year (around CA$160 to $180).

Source: CNN + Wired