Nest, the smart thermostat maker that Google acquired in January, has launched a software update to its device that will purportedly reduce utility bills by as much as 6 percent.

The Learning Thermostat's signature is an auto-schedule capability that "learns" your home habits and adjusts the temperature accordingly. The new 4.3 software update has a revamped algorithm that Nest says will save users up to 6 percent on their bills for heat and air, the Wall Street Journal's Personal Tech News reported.

In testing, Nest found that the updated auto-schedule "more closely follows user behavior and intentions," the company said in a white paper study published today and reported by Gizmodo.

"So when your schedule shifts--like when summer's over and the kids are back at school--Nest can now catch on faster that the temperature adjustments you're making are part of a new pattern rather than just one-off changes," Nest said in a statement.

The free update also adds a System Test mode that will run through each part of a user's HVAC system for a status check, which should make it simpler to diagnose any issues, according to CNET.

Another new feature is the Quick View display's addition of the time and the outside temperature to what the device previously showed, which included the user's schedule, energy consumption levels and the indoor temperature. 

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