Google invests in ADT, will integrate its Nest devices into smart home business

The search giant now owns a 6.6 percent stake in the company

Google has invested $450 million for a 6.6 percent stake in security company ADT, the companies announced today. The deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter of this year, will see ADT’s technicians selling and installing Google’s Nest smart home devices, such as cameras and smart displays, as early as this year. Homes and small businesses are said to be the two target markets.

Eventually, however, Google says its Nest devices will become the “cornerstone” of ADT’s smart home offering. The search giant says that its technology will mean fewer false alarms, better event detection, and more helpful notifications for ADT’s customers. Google says that ADT customers will also get access to Nest Aware, its subscription service that offers intelligent alerts and 30 days of event history recording.

Google has offered smart home security products under its Nest brand for a number of years. In 2017, it announced the $499 Nest Secure, a modular system that included a central hub device and sensors to detect when doors or windows open. (It would later drop the price to $399 less than a year later.) Investing in ADT, one of the biggest security companies in the US, will give Google a more significant presence in the smart home security market. ADT says it has over 6 million customers in the US who could soon be introduced to Google’s devices.

ADT has been involved in the smart home security market for years. Back in 2017, it teamed up with Samsung to offer a SmartThings-powered home security system, and earlier this year, it launched a range of security cameras under its Blue by ADT brand. When asked about its existing smart home lineup, a spokesperson from ADT said that the company plans to continue selling its Blue by ADT devices as a stand-alone system, and will continue to provide the same 24/7 professional monitoring. “We will continue to iterate on our existing platforms as it relates to interoperability with Google devices,” the spokesperson said.

Google currently sells a wide range of smart home tech under the Nest brand, including video doorbells, smart displays, smoke alarms, security cameras, and thermostats.

Update August 3rd, 9:03AM ET: Updated with ADT’s confirmation that it will continue to sell its existing smart home products.

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Jon Porter

Bilal