Google's smoke alarms are faulty

Google Nest Protect has an annoying fault that's angering owners around the world. (Image: Google)

The Google Nest Protect smart smoke alarm is a fantastic idea for $189.

A smoke alarm that's internet-connected and can be controlled and monitored via a mobile app brings a very important home appliance into the 21st century.

But a very annoying fault has appeared, which has Nest Protect owners tearing their hair out.

Yahoo Finance has found some Nest Protect devices constantly reporting its backup batteries to be low, even when they're new and full of charge – causing the alarm to beep.

And there is no way to stop the shrill without installation of new batteries.

There are two review units currently installed for Yahoo Finance. One of them has never had batteries replaced more than two years while the faulty one has demanded new batteries three times in the past three months.

A quick internet search shows many owners reporting the problem, with the issue first widely propagating in August. Some users, incredibly, have had to deal with "low battery" chirping only a few days after putting new ones in.

Google has yet to release a working solution to the issue. It has instead put out boiler-plate suggestions that have long been verified by Nest Protect owners as not resolving the issue.

Google Australia did not respond to Yahoo Finance's request for comment.

One of the suggestions Google staff have put on forums is to use a specific brand of battery – Energizer Ultimate Lithium. A second Google suggestion is to ensure the latest firmware version is installed.

Both have been refuted as solutions by users. And the false leads are starting to anger affected owners.

"These suggestions and recommendations are simply shallow and unproductive. Don't understand why someone from Google can't address these issues," said one smoke alarm owner in mid-December.

"For the last several weeks an updated firmware has been talked about by several Community Specialists, but as of today has not been pushed to any Nest Protect to address this issue."

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