Live data from Hacker News

Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

nest.com

351–360 of 600 posts

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#351
post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't seem fully serious, but the writing is probably on the wall for third party tools which integrate with GMail. I use InboxZero through Beeminder, and could see Beeminder being locked out.

There are contractual obligations around changes to GSuite products (and their APIs).

Contracts expire and can be not renewed.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#352

How soon until google gets sued for the bait and switch? This reminds me of the Sony PlayStation Linux lawsuit: https://segmentnext.com/2016/06/21/sony-linux-lawsuit-ends-s...

Realistically is there any lawsuit that can make any dent in Google's profits?

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#353
post #335

And this is why Google will never be able to sell to the enterprise.

This is why Google will not be able to sell things not backed by an SLA and a contract to the enterprise. Guess what, GSuite and GC are covered by SLAs/contracts. But yes, this is a stupid move by Google, trying to lock out other controllers/apps. I have been looking at home automation and I want: a) open APIs b) security c) functionality Most offers/products don't even do c) very well.

They did increase Google Map Apis prices a lot almost overnight though.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#354

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that many people naturally expect Google to work like a lot of other companies, which are focused on satisfying individual customers. Google, though, is unusual that most of their users are not Google customers. They are the product. So Google's relationship to most individuals is statistical , not personal. If they care about me as an individual, I have never seen the slightest sign of it. I also think that…

Why should anyone let a Google self-driving car on the road? They will just end support for it whenever "internal politics shift." Let's ban Google from working on life-saving medical devices, because they will just get bored and stop supporting the software.

On the other hand, EOLing an IoT pacemaker with short notice might bring some light to this issue.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#355
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Correct: https://nest.com/whats-happening/#im-a-works-with-nest-devel...

Another reminder to never buy a "smart" device. At the end of the day they are pretty dumb.

Don't buy electronic devices not supporting open standards or technologies.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#356

EU law (because the EU seems to be the only one willing to make these big laws inconveniencing tech) - any IOT enabled product that has the IOT capabilities removed by closing of a service without a simple way for those capabilities to be re-enabled (simple being further clarified in law) can be returned for a full purchase refund up to 3 months after closing of the service.

I tried finding information on this, but couldn't. Could you provide links?

sorry, I thought I was clear in suggesting it as a law - although realistically in a lot of EU countries you could make the case and get it returned.

For example I'm in Denmark and we have a consumer ombudsmand were you can make complaints about violations of your rights as a consumer https://www.consumerombudsman.dk/about-us/ (it talks about marketing but I the Nest was marketed to have functionality it no longer has), in fact there may already be sort of an Ombudsmand ruling that pertains here https://www.consumerombudsman.dk/media/46530/2016-memorandum... which says you can return something after your normal right of return but you are liable for diminished value - so you would not get the full refund in this case but something.

Of course I think that an actual complaint on this subject would result in a memorandum that you can get your full refund.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#357
post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are assuming they will retain imap functionality. Ask the xmpp/jabber folks about hangouts.

I assumed nothing. If you sync regularly via imap you could switch providers tomorrow and lose nothing.

Good for you, that's the smart way to use e-mail. But most people, many of in tech and many of them knowing better, rely on GMail's web and mobile apps.

Also, unless you're using IMAP to sync the entire mailbox, you'd still lose. If your mail program only stores e.g. last 30 days of mail locally, and lets everything else live on the mailserver, then you'd only have 30 days worth of e-mails left.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#358

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't quite get what people expect... do they think that once google creates something, they are obligated to continue it indefinitely? That seems like an unreasonable expectation.

If they choose to make it dependent on an external service then yes, I expect them to keep that service available indefinitely, for free. Consider it an incentive to avoid dependencies on external services.

Alternatively, given that you already know that they won't reliably keep those services available indefinitely, you could consider this incentive as a consumer.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#359
post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't seem fully serious, but the writing is probably on the wall for third party tools which integrate with GMail. I use InboxZero through Beeminder, and could see Beeminder being locked out.

There are contractual obligations around changes to GSuite products (and their APIs).

For select users that are willing to advocate for themselves against Google and are covered under a binding, unexpired contract Google will likely let them continue using said APIs. Everyone else is likely to see APIs break at Google's whim, as most users aren't covered by custom GSuite contracts.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#360

For those who see this as Google turning off an unused service: no, just no. This is Google cutting off a massive interop ecosystem to try to parlay the success of Nest into higher adoption of Google Home. That’s vastly different than shutting down G+, Wave, Orkut, Reader, etc. It would be as if they announced tomorrow that the only way to read GMail is in Chrome browser or on an Android phone.

They kind of did do that with Offline Gmail, though.
Post reply on HN