The new Nest thermostat just leaked again, and it's a welcome step backwards

More marketing materials for the 4th-gen Nest Learning Thermostat have been leaked. It brings back rotating controls and looks fantastic thanks to its borderless glass display.

We reported on the Nest Learning Thermostat 4 last week, and now the same leaker @mysterylupin on X has obtained multiple official-looking marketing images of the 4th generation Nest Learning Thermostat with much more detail. It definitely looks like it's bringing back a much-missed feature.

The new version appears to be a return to the rotary controls of the original model. Google removed those for its 2020 version in favour of swipe controls, but it looks like the spin is in for this new version.

It's really pretty, I think, like a giant Pixel Watch 3 : it's a stainless steel case with a glass display that's effectively borderless. There appear to be two colour options this time, one black and one in a more brown/orange shade that looks like it's been beamed in from a 70s sci-fi set.

What's new in the Nest Learning Thermostat 4?

The interface here looks similar to the current model, albeit resized to fit the larger display, and the marketing materials say that this version has full Matter compatibility. That means you won't be limited to using it with the Google Home app: your new Nest will work with any Matter-compatible app. Installation will apparently be "40 minutes or less" and for most homes there won't be a need for any additional wires. A temperature sensor is included instead of an optional extra.

The Learning Thermostat is the smartest Nest, and as the name suggests it develops an understanding of your heating and cooling and creates scheduling accordingly. According to the marketing materials it has energy efficient features including Smart Schedule with Savings Finder; Adaptive Eco; Smart ventilation; and Natural Heating and Cooling. One of the highlighted features is Energy Shift, which can "automatically shift your energy use to cleaner or cheaper times".

The marketing materials also reveal the US price: $279, which is a $50 price hike over the ageing current model. No release date has been specified but given that the marketing materials are clearly ready to go, we'd expect this Nest to be revealed at Google's event on 13th August.