Privacy issues are at the forefront of Google-owned Nest's acquisition of Dropcam, which the company says will help streamline smart home efforts and integrate more aspects of one's living situation. It comes on the heels of Nest relaunching its smart thermostat after a defect was discovered earlier this year.
Google made the announcement that Nest had agreed to buy Dropcam that aims to extend the search company's control over the home environment further, but it has also increased fears that it could push Google and Nest into territory it might not be prepared for, especially as privacy issues are quickly becoming a tipping point for the general population as tech companies get more and more access to personal information.
Reports indicate that the deal for Dropcam was around $555 million, but Google and Nest have yet to publicly reveal to the public the official deal amount.
The goal is to allow customers to "check in" on their houses or apartments even when they are not in the area. With Dropcam, this should be made easier, by implementing a series of cameras in the house that are wirelessly controlled. According to reports, this can be done cheaply and can be accessed on either Android or iOS devices.
"Eventually, the plan is for us to work together to reinvent products that will help shape the future of the conscious home and bring out shared vision to more and more people around the world," Nest founder Matt Rogers said in a blog post published by the company.
He also added that Nest would ensure that all security and privacy issues will be addressed and that the new service would not include any advertising, which should help to calm any fears that it could be baiting users to get advertisers on board.
"Like Nest customer data, Dropcam will come under Nest's privacy policy, which explains that data won't be shared with anyone (including Google) without a customer's permission," Rogers added.
Google acquired Nest earlier this year for $3.2 billion in an effort to continue to push into new territory and new technologies, but the latest acquisition appears to have been a Nest initiative and was announced by Nest on its website and not by Google, which has many believing Nest has more independence than previously thought.
Still, the privacy issues are unlikely to abate in the near future as more and more technology intertwines with daily lives.
