The exclusive arrangement with iSelect sees the Nest Cam Outdoor or Indoor models being sold at $319 each (two-pack $588) and the Nest Smoke and Carbon monoxide alarm at $189 (two-pack $353). Prices exclude installation and ongoing monitoring costs.

Scott Wilson, iSelect chief executive, said that it would be working with its suppliers in insurance, broadband, energy etc, to harness Nest’s inherent safety and monitoring features and reduce costs. It is hoped that its partner’s offers will go a long way to offsetting Nest’s costs.

Maxime Veron, director of Product Marketing at Nest, said, “Nest is focused on creating a home that takes care of the people inside it and the world around it. To date, Nest’s hardware, software and services have been available for purchase in just twelve markets, yet they’re used by millions of people in more than 190 countries. Today we’re excited to be entering our first market in the Asia Pacific – Australia is lucky thirteen through our partnership with iSelect.”

Nest Labs was founded in 2010 by ex-Apple employees, Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers. Its first product was a Wi-Fi enabled learning thermostat followed by the Nest smoke detector and security cameras. Alphabet Inc (Google's parent company) acquired it in January 2014 and its products now work with Google Home as well as a range of “Works with Nest” partners.

Nest has been seen to be ahead of the curve with its Wi-Fi N enabled products addressing the limited smart home market. Depending on which research reports you read, the market is expected to grow by only 15% by 2021 and but a PWC survey showed 38% expected to adopt smart-home technology in that period.

The Nest Cam (different models for indoors or outdoors) have a 1080p sensor, magnetic stand/mount, two-way talk and sound and motion alerts. The outdoor model is suitably weatherproofed. These are USB 5V powered.

The Nest Cam provides an always-on video feed to a free Android or iOS smartphone app. The added value comes from a monthly subscription to Nest Aware, a cloud-based platform that offers 10-day video history, intelligent image search, facial/pet recognition, ability to set up activity zones etc. It costs $14 per month for the first device and $7 for additional devices.

The Nest Protect is a smoke and carbon monoxide detector and runs from AC or battery powered. The unit also has audio warnings and motion detection will gently illuminate the immediate area when someone is walking nearby. It can also be used for presence detection if you are away.

The Protect AC version requires professional installation which iSelect offers from $199 to $319 for the first device and $105 each thereafter. Nest Cams can be self-installed running from a 5V DC charger or professionally installed at extra cost.