MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — On Jan. 13, Google Inc. announced it had entered into an agreement to buy smart thermostat manufacturer Nest Labs Inc. for $3.2 billion in cash.
Nest, which launched in 2011 and now employs more than 300 people while also partnering with more than 25,000 certified installers, aims to reinvent unloved but important devices in the home, such as thermostats and smoke alarms. The Nest Learning Thermostat has been a best-seller among smart home thermostats, and the recently launched Protect — a Wi-Fi-connected smoke and carbon monoxide alarm — has received favorable reviews.