When you think of smart thermostats, there’s a good chance that Nest comes to mind, and rightfully so considering who developed it (former Apple exec), and who currently owns it (Google’s parent company, Alphabet). However it seems that Microsoft isn’t going to sit around and do nothing.
The company has recently taken the wraps off their own take on the smart thermostat in the form of GLAS made by Johnson Controls. In the video above, you can see Microsoft’s take on the smart thermostat in a rather sleek and futuristic-looking package with a translucent touchscreen display, and also the fact that it is powered by Microsoft’s Cortana AI digital assistant.
In terms of specs and features, it is unclear as to what we might be looking at, but judging from the video, it seems that the thermostat can sense when you’re in the room, as well as being able to judge the air quality inside and outside to better adjust the temperature in your home. As to when it will be launched or how much it will be priced, once again it seems like that is anyone’s guess as neither Microsoft nor Johnson Controls have mentioned it.
However it does look like a pretty sexy piece of hardware and one that we would not mind checking out when it becomes available.
Filed in . Read more about Connected Objects, Cortana, IoT (Internet of Things) and Microsoft.