Starling Home Hub Discontinued Amid Rising Costs and Tariff Pressures
Key Points
- Starling announces the end of production for its Starling Home Hub.
- Rising business costs and U.S. tariffs on components are cited as primary reasons.
- The hub, launched in 2019 at $99, enabled Nest devices to work with Apple Home and Siri.
- It provided local camera streaming, reducing latency compared to cloud solutions.
- Existing owners will continue to receive support, updates, and warranty coverage.
- Matter‑compatible Nest thermostats now offer limited Apple Home integration.
- Camera support via Matter is expected later in the year, but current options are limited.
- The discontinuation leaves a gap for users seeking a straightforward Nest‑Apple bridge.
Starling has announced it can no longer produce its Starling Home Hub, citing rapidly rising business costs and U.S. tariffs on essential components. The hub, launched in 2019 as a $99 bridge that enabled Google Nest devices to operate within Apple Home and with Siri, has been praised for its reliability and ease of use. Existing owners will continue to receive support and updates, but the product’s removal leaves a gap for users seeking a simple solution to integrate Nest thermostats and cameras into Apple’s ecosystem. Alternatives now rely on Matter‑enabled Nest thermostats, while camera support remains pending.
Background and Product Overview
Starling introduced the Starling Home Hub in 2019 as an independent, plug‑and‑play bridge priced at $99. The device allowed users to control and automate Google Nest products—including thermostats and cameras—through the Apple Home app and via Siri voice commands. It also provided local streaming for cameras, reducing latency compared to cloud‑based solutions. At the time, Google’s Nest lineup lacked direct integration with Apple’s HomeKit platform, making the hub a valuable tool for consumers who mixed ecosystems.
While newer Nest thermostats have since gained Matter compatibility, enabling limited Apple Home integration, many older models and all Nest cameras continue to operate outside Apple’s ecosystem. The Starling Home Hub filled this void, offering a reliable and straightforward alternative to more complex setups such as self‑hosted Homebridge servers.
Reason for Discontinuation
Starling announced on its website that it can no longer manufacture the hub due to “rapidly rising costs of doing business for small US‑based product companies like us,” specifically highlighting tariffs imposed by the U.S. government on essential components. The company did not detail other cost factors but emphasized that the tariff environment made continued production unsustainable.
Impact on Existing Users
Current owners of the Starling Home Hub will remain supported. Starling committed to providing technical assistance, security patches, and bug‑fix updates for as long as stock permits, and it intends to honor existing warranties. However, the company’s future product roadmap remains unclear, as the hub has been its sole offering to date.
Alternatives and Future Outlook
Consumers seeking to maintain Nest integration with Apple Home now have limited options. The 2020 Google Nest Thermostat and the fourth‑generation Nest Learning Thermostat support Matter, allowing some control through the Apple Home app. Matter support for Nest cameras is expected later in the year, and rumors suggest Google may launch new Nest cameras that could eventually stream within Apple Home.
Despite these developments, the discontinuation of the Starling Home Hub removes a simple, dedicated bridge that many users relied upon. The gap may push some toward more technical solutions or encourage manufacturers to expand Matter compatibility across older devices.