RIP to Dropcams, Nest Secure: Google is shutting down servers next year

Enlarge / The Dropcam line was eventually replaced by Nest Cam. (credit: Dropcam)

In a post on the official Google Nest Community page, Google announced it is shutting down the service for several old Nest smart home products. Most of these have not been for sale for years, but since this is all hardware  tied to the cloud, turning off the servers will turn them into useless bricks. The good news is that Google is giving existing users deals on hardware upgrades to something that is supported.

First up is Dropcam, which Nest and Google acquired in 2014 for $555 million and eventually turned into the Nest Cam line. Dropcam (and Dropcam Pro) server support is getting shut off on April 8, 2024, and Google says, “Dropcam will no longer work after that date, and you will no longer be able to use your Nest app to check status.” The video clips are stored online, so Google adds, “If you wish to keep your video history, please download and save before this date.”

Nest replaced the Dropcam line in 2015, so these cameras are all around 8 years old. Nest promises five years of support for its own products. Google isn’t just cutting these users off, though; it’s offering discounts on new Nest Cams if they want to keep rolling with the Google ecosystem. Google says if users are currently subscribed to Nest Aware, they’ll get a free indoor, wired Nest Cam (a $100 value). Nest Aware is a $6 or $9 monthly subscription that lets you record video from the camera and store it online. Since that subscription fee will match the price of a Nest Cam in a year or two, it makes sense for Google to try to keep that subscription revenue flowing. If you don’t have a Nest Aware subscription, Google is offering a 50 percent discount on the wired, indoor Nest Cam.