Getting up to change the temperature on your thermostat is an arduous and unpleasant task, but smart thermostats have freed us from this drudgery. Okay... but now you have to open an app and tap stuff to change the thermostat? That still seems like a lot of work, right? Google Assistant offers the ultimate in convenience (until such time as we have brain-thermostat interfaces), but not all smart thermostats support it. You can add the Ecobee to the list today, though.
The Ecobee comes in two different flavors including the latest Ecobee4 and the Ecobee 3 Lite. The main difference between them is the Ecobee4 has its own microphone and speaker, but the Ecobee3 Lite requires you to use your phone or a smart speaker to issue commands. Both of them support Google Assistant today so you can change the temperature, check thermostat settings, and manage your schedules. There was already support for Alexa, SmartThings, and more.
To set up Assistant, just head into the settings for your phone's Assistant implementation or the Google Home app. Then, sign into your Ecobee account and tie it to Assistant. The Ecobee4 costs $249 and comes with one remote room sensor. The Ecobee3 Lite is $169 and doesn't include a sensor.
PRESS RELEASE
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ecobee, Inc. today announced an integration with the Google Assistant, enabling homeowners in Canada and the U.S. to control all ecobee smart thermostats through eligible Android phones, iPhones and voice activated speakers like Google Home. The Google Assistant is the latest addition to ecobee’s portfolio of platform integrations, which includes Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Wink and IFTTT.
With the Google Assistant integration, ecobee customers can now use the Assistant on their phones and Google Home to make everyday tasks simpler and more convenient. Google Assistant users will now be able to say, “Ok Google, make my home warmer,” among other commands, to activate their ecobee3 lite, ecobee3 and ecobee4 smart thermostats.
“It’s our priority to partner with best-in-class smart home platforms to offer ecobee customers the greatest freedom and flexibility on the market. The Google Assistant is no exception,” said Stuart Lombard, ecobee president and CEO. “The addition of the Google Assistant – and with it, devices like Google Home – reflects our commitment to customer-led innovation and our expectation for continued growth of the voice-enabled smart home.”
Since introducing the world’s first smart thermostat in 2009, ecobee has enabled consumers to control their home comfort any time and from anywhere while reducing energy use. This year, ecobee introduced the ecobee4 smart thermostat and unveiled a voice-enabled smart light switch set to be released early next year to underscore the company’s vision for a whole-home-voice future.
“We’re excited to work with ecobee to offer Google Assistant users even more choice in managing and controlling their home environments,” said Mark Spates, Google Product Manager. “Today’s announcement continues our commitment to offer Google Assistant users some of the most innovative smart home technology on the market. The Google Assistant already works with more than 1,000 smart devices from 150-plus popular brands, and we can’t wait to add another great option.”
Pricing, Availability and Compatibility
ecobee4 is available for $249 in the U.S. online and in-stores at Home Depot, Lowes, Best Buy, Amazon and ecobee.com. It’s available in Canada for $329 and can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes and Amazon. The device comes with a wireless room sensor and supports up to 32 sensors. It is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, the Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, Wink and IFTTT.
ecobee3 lite is available for $169 in the U.S. at Home Depot stores and online at Amazon.com, HomeDepot.com, BestBuy.com and ecobee.com. It’s available in Canada for $219 and can be purchased at online and in-stores at Home Depot, Best Buy, Amazon and ecobee.com. The device also supports up to 32 room sensors and is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, the Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, Wink and IFTTT.
To ensure ecobee devices are compatible with your home, visit ecobee.com/compatibility.
