The End of Nest: Why Smart Homes Need to Be Built to Last
For thousands of users, this means losing remote control capabilities and other core features they’ve come to depend on. Features baked into devices that are literally built into their homes.
It’s a bitter reminder of a growing issue: many smart home products are designed with built-in obsolescence. When cloud services shut down or manufacturers shift focus, the hardware in your walls can suddenly become useless.
That frustration has been the driving force behind Tewke. I set out to create a home automation system that wouldn’t rely on the cloud, wouldn’t be at the mercy of a tech giant’s product roadmap, and wouldn’t require juggling a dozen different apps and devices to manage heating, lighting, and energy.
At the heart of our approach is a rethink of the humble light switch. Tap is a smart, upgradeable in-wall device that goes far beyond turning lights on and off. It’s designed to be the central interface for your home, a true home energy management system that integrates directly with APIs like Octopus, controls heating, manages lighting automation, works as an intercom, and more. And critically, it’s designed to be timeless: a product that evolves without becoming obsolete.
Our goal is to build something that feels as dependable as the traditional infrastructure in your home without sacrificing the intelligence and flexibility that modern living demands.
The Nest shutdown is frustrating, but it also validates why we started down this path. It’s time for smart home tech to grow up and that means creating systems that are built to last.
If you’re curious about partnering, piloting, or following the journey just drop us a line or join our waiting list.