Google acquired Nest Labs in 2014 to obtain its smart-home brand and technology.
Nest Labs was founded in 2010 by Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers, former Apple engineers associated with the iPod project. The company first became known for redesigned thermostats and smoke detectors that combined sensors, software, and internet connectivity with a consumer-focused industrial design.
Google announced the acquisition in January 2014 for approximately $3.2 billion in cash. Nest continued to operate as a separate brand for a period, while Google used its products and expertise as part of a broader connected-home strategy.
Nest is sometimes confused with Ring, which Amazon acquired, or Dropcam, which Nest acquired before the Google deal. In 2018, Google began moving Nest products more closely into its own hardware and smart-home ecosystem. The acquisition helped Google expand beyond search and mobile software into connected household devices.