When the Nest Learning Thermostat first came to market, one of its signature features was knowing when you were home (so it could maintain a comfortable temperature) and when you were away (so it could save you money by not warming or cooling an empty house). The thermostat relies on a motion sensor to pull off this trick, but if no one walks past the thermostat frequently enough, it might decide no one’s home and it will shut down your HVAC system.
Many of Nest’s competitors use geofencing to determine when you’re home and when you’re away. These rival thermostats establish a geographic perimeter around your home, and when you move outside that perimeter with your smartphone, the thermostat knows you’re away and it adjusts its temperature targets accordingly.
