Life security producer First Alert launched a brand new line of good smoke and carbon monoxide alarms this week that may work with Google House. Following Google’s determination to discontinue its Nest Shield good smoke alarm, the corporate has introduced it’s partnering with First Alert on the First Alert Smart Smoke & Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm.
The brand new alarms will work with the First Alert and Google House apps however not with another good dwelling platforms. They will even be compatible with existing Nest Protect alarms. Ryan Park, senior product director at Resideo, which owns First Alert, informed The Verge that they interconnect over Nest’s Weave communication protocol (which makes use of Thread) to sound all suitable alarms when one is triggered. The notification system also can embody any non-connected First Alert alarms you may need put in.
The brand new First Alert Good Smoke & CO Alarms will value $129.99 and will probably be out there in hardwired or battery-powered choices later this 12 months within the US and Canada. They’re out there now for preorder at FirstAlert.com.
Nest Shield alarms work for 10 years from the date of manufacture. They first launched in 2013, so many householders (myself included) might want to exchange theirs quickly. Park says they have been designed for straightforward {hardware} substitute in order that Nest Shield customers “can seamlessly exchange their units.”
The brand new First Alert alarms have a number of of the identical options discovered on the Nest Shield. These embody automated security checkups, a “Heads-up Early Warning” that sends voice and app alerts earlier than an alarm triggers, alerts when an alarm is triggered, and the power to silence alarms from each the First Alert and Google House apps.
Just like the Shield, the lineup contains a 10-year sealed battery (a requirement in many states) and a hardwired choice with replaceable backup batteries. The app will ship you low battery warnings, so that you shouldn’t get these 2AM low battery chirps.
In contrast to the Shield, the First Alert alarms received’t work as a presence sensor for Google House’s House & Away operate or function the Shield’s neat nightlight function. And whereas they resemble the Nest Shield, they sadly don’t have the identical trendy design. Nonetheless, Google says they will set off a reside feed out of your Nest safety cameras within the House app when an alarm sounds.
The brand new alarms use First Alert’s Precision Detection — a sophisticated sensing know-how that mixes ionization and photoelectric sensing. They work over Wi-Fi to connect with the Google House and First Alert apps. Present Nest Protects will quickly seem within the Google House app.
The brand new Google House-compatible alarm comes sizzling on the heels of competitor Kidde’s launch of a sensible smoke alarm that works with Ring at CES this 12 months. The Kidde Good Smoke Alarm with Ring ($54.97) and the Kidde Good Smoke and CO Alarm with Ring ($74.97) are hardwired alarms with battery backup and can launch this April at The House Depot. These join solely to the Ring app through Wi-Fi.
First Alert has an current line of Onelink smoke and CO alarms with Wi-Fi connectivity. Nonetheless, it phased out its fashions that labored with Apple House, Amazon Alexa, and Google House some time in the past.
Park says the present Onelink product line will probably be discontinued over time in favor of the brand new fashions. The corporate additionally manufactures a Z-Wave smoke and CO alarm that works with Ring Alarm and different platforms, which can proceed to be offered.
It’s nice to see extra good smoke alarm choices; it’s an area that basically hasn’t seen a viable competitor to the Nest Shield within the US market. Nonetheless, this proprietary method is irritating, particularly now that Matter is right here, which is designed to make it simpler for producers to combine with a number of good dwelling platforms.
Smoke alarms are a part of the Matter spec, however not one of the not too long ago introduced fashions are suitable with the brand new good dwelling normal. Resideo, owner of First Alert, is a part of the Connectivity Requirements Alliance that oversees Matter. The corporate not too long ago launched a sensible thermostat that works with Matter. I’ve requested if there’s a plan to make the brand new smoke alarm suitable.