A new Nest Learning Thermostat looks like it's finally on the way

Google’s got a hardware event coming up in just a few weeks, where the Pixel 9 family will make its debut — likely alongside the next Pixel Watch. But will it only be new Pixels on the agenda, or could Google have some broader plans? What about the company’s smart home devices? Just this week we heard about what could be the spiritual successor to Chromecast streaming, and earlier in the year fielded rumors about new Nest Audio models. As we wait to learn everything August 13 will hold, some new leaks tease the possibility of a Nest Learning Thermostat refresh.

Frequent tipster Arsène Lupin shares their latest find over on X, consisting of some very official-looking Google product renders of new Nest hardware.

The biggest deal here looks like a fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat. It’s been almost a decade since Google introduced a new Learning Thermostat model, with the 3rd generation launching back in 2015. Since then we’ve gotten the since-discontinued Thermostat E, as well as the affordable Nest Thermostat (minus the “Learning”). From the render, it looks like Google could be planning to update the UI a little, but without reinventing the wheel. The Thermostat’s display appears to be getting slightly larger, and we wouldn’t be surprised from that smaller iconography if it were higher resolution, too.

Unfortunately, we don’t get any real detail on that 4th generation Nest Learning Thermostat, and the meat of this leak concerns a new Nest Temperature Sensor. The existing model works with either the 3rd-gen Learning Thermostat or the Thermostat E (but notably not the Nest Thermostat) as a battery-powered wireless extension that lets you monitor temperatures in another room. The $40 Sensor has been available since 2018.

Functionally, it doesn’t sound like we’re looking at any big changes from the original. Pricing is supposed to stay at $40 a pop, with the same three-for-$100 deal Google offers now. While there may be some interesting tech upgrades within, the most pronounced difference we can see from here is the new, sleek design. Instead of a puck-like, flat-edged Sensor with a big G for Google on top, this model smooths all that out to oblivion, leaving us with a flattened egg look that almost resembles a steamed bun — or maybe one of those stick-on foam deals for stopping doorknobs from ruining your walls.

We do have at least one concrete reason to look forward to this new hardware: while the existing Nest Temperature Sensor advertises two-year battery life, this copy tells us to expect three years. Whether it plans on using another CR2 3V lithium battery remains to be seen — we certainly wouldn’t complain about a more accessible replacement. With Google’s Pixel event just under three weeks away, we may start getting our answers very soon.