Nest Secure Gains Google Assistant Via Secretly Built-In Microphone
Nest's home security system now doubles as a Google Assistant device, but the update reveals a previously undisclosed microphone in the hardware.
Nest's security alarm system gains a new feature today as it transforms into a Google Assistant device. The update rolls out to all new and existing Nest Secure systems, effectively turning the system's keypad hub into a device that functions much like a Google Home Mini. Users now ask the hub to control smart home devices or arm the alarm system using simple voice commands.
This functionality relies on a microphone that resides inside the Nest Guard hub, a piece of hardware that remains completely unmentioned in the product's official spec sheets or user manuals. Google confirms that the company built the microphone into the device with future features like the Assistant in mind, but it stays completely dormant until the user actively opts in through the Nest app.
While the addition brings convenient voice controls to the security system, Google intentionally restricts certain voice commands for safety reasons. Users cannot use their voice to disarm the alarm, which prevents intruders from shouting through a door to disable the security system. Disarming the Nest Secure still requires a PIN code, a physical key fob, or the Nest mobile application.