Google Home app will eventually support and integrate with Nest Protect

Back in November, the Nest to Google Account migration began to improve 2FA security, as well as provide “seamless product integration” between smart home and Assistant devices. The Nest Protect wast not included in that initial transition, but Google in recent months has promised that the oversight will be addressed.

After migrating, multi-user management is moved to the Google Home app. The Nest client loses the ability to add/remove family members. This is a problem for Nest Protects as the smoke detectors do not appear in the Home app alongside other first-party Cams and Thermostats.

As a result, the Protect’s alarm/warning notifications can only be received in the Nest app, which — again — does not let you give access to other users following the transition. This single user nature is highly limiting for most households.

Cross-device integrations are also not possible, which is unfortunate as the smoke alarm has “occupancy” and ambient light sensors to activate the Pathlight/night light feature where the Nest Protect brightens when somebody walks underneath it at night. There’s obviously also a temperature sensor.

Immediately after the migration, Protect owners started querying Google about this oversight, and continue to ask. Back in March, a Googler in the support forum provided a definite status update. The team wants to address this and provide a “more seamless solution.”

Moving forward any new integrations that are needed for your Nest Protect, will be controlled in the Home App which will be available in the coming months. Our team is also exploring additional third party integrations and we look forward to sharing those with you as they become available.

A “coming months” timeline is provided for the Nest Protect to appear within the Google Home app and work with other devices. As part of that, unspecified “third party integrations” are touted. At Made by Google 2019 in October, the company did tout a generic smoke alarm use case:

For instance, if your connected smoke alarm identifies an emergency in your home, a Home Routine can flash your connected lights and turn them red to give you a visual cue.