According to The Information, Google has been conducting trials of a Smart Thermostat that will help users keep tabs on their energy use. The project is called 'EnergySense' and Google has been collecting volunteers to test the energy-saving products it is building, according to the sources.
Non-employees are apparently getting access to the service as "Trusted Testers" in St. Louis, Missouri and other areas. Google is apparently working with Ecobee to source the devices, since Ecobee currently makes its own line of smart thermostats.
This isn't Google's first energy program it is investing in. Google launched PowerMeter a few years ago, which helped consumers track home electricity, but it later shut down the program in 2011 after a lack of consumer interest.
To make things even more interesting, evleaks posted a screenshot today of the "EnergySense" application in Google's App Store with Google as the developer.
If Google were to release their thermostat, it would be a direct competitor to Nest, the popular smart thermostat that Apple sells for $249.
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Non-employees are apparently getting access to the service as "Trusted Testers" in St. Louis, Missouri and other areas. Google is apparently working with Ecobee to source the devices, since Ecobee currently makes its own line of smart thermostats.
This isn't Google's first energy program it is investing in. Google launched PowerMeter a few years ago, which helped consumers track home electricity, but it later shut down the program in 2011 after a lack of consumer interest.
To make things even more interesting, evleaks posted a screenshot today of the "EnergySense" application in Google's App Store with Google as the developer.
If Google were to release their thermostat, it would be a direct competitor to Nest, the popular smart thermostat that Apple sells for $249.
Read More