Nest platform developers move to Google

Some developers at smart home device maker Nest Labs are joining Google's Internet of Things efforts.

The restructuring involves several dozen of Nest's platform developers joining Google’s IoT development team, according to a person at Nest familiar with the situation, but unable to speak publicly on the developments.

The move is expected to help Nest and Google parent company Alphabet coalesce its overall IoT platform and smart home offerings, according to Fortune, which first reported the move Tuesday. The development team that the group of developers will join is led by Venkat Rapaka, director of product management at Google.

That team is overseen by Hiroshi Lockheimer, who heads up Android, and is also working on Google Home, the voice-activated speaker due later this year.

Google acquired the Palo Alto, Calif.-based Nest for $3.2 billion in January 2014 and the company has about 1,000 employees. Nest CEO Fadell, who previously helped design the iPhone and iPod at Apple, started Nest in 2010.

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Two months ago, Alphabet replaced Fadell, who had come under fire for his leadership style, with Marwan Fawaz, a former executive vice president of Motorola Mobility who had served as CEO of Motorola Home.

Nest gained prominence with its Nest Learning Thermostat. Its other products include indoor and outdoor video cameras and smoke alarms, all of which are smart-connected to the Net and smartphone apps.

In addition to a unified Internet of Things platform that would encompass Google and Nest products, the move could also produce cost savings and improve Nest's finances with the move, according to Fortune, which said it learned of the development Tuesday from persons familiar with the situation.

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