Google Thinks There May Eventually Be Ads in Thermostats

Mobile ads might take on a new meaning in a few years, at least according to Google.

The search giant believes it's possible that it may serve ads on a different set of "mobile" devices in a few years, including thermostats, glasses and watches. That's according to a letter filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in December and disclosed on Tuesday, as first pointed out by The Wall Street Journal.
"We expect the definition of 'mobile' to continue to evolve as more and more “smart” devices gain traction in the market," Google wrote in the filing. "For example, a few years from now, we and other companies could be serving ads and other content on refrigerators, car dashboards, thermostats, glasses, and watches, to name just a few possibilities."

The prediction in that letter came just weeks before Google announced its acquisition of Nest, a smart thermostat maker, for $3.2 billion in cash. At the time, many joked (or perhaps feared) the possibility that Google would inject ads into the thermostat to make more money.

In some ways, it's more striking to see Google admit that ads may one day come to glasses given that the company has repeatedly stressed there won't be ads on Google Glass. Of course, Google didn't actually say in the letter that it will place ads on glasses, just that it expects some companies might.

"We are in contact with the SEC to clarify the language in this 2013 filing, which does not reflect Google's product roadmap. Nest, which we acquired after this filing was made, does not have an ads-based model and has never had any such plans."