Alleged photos of the upcoming third-generation Nest smart thermostat have made their way online, following earlier reports that the device has made its way to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for approval.

Droid Life reports that it has received a couple of images purporting to be the new Nest thermostat from Alphabet, formerly Google. The first image shows what is said to be the rather plain packaging for the smart home hub, while the second image, juxtaposed with an image of the current-generation Nest, shows the new learning thermostat still retaining its round shape but with a much bigger display than its predecessor.

The timing of the leaks appear to lend some credit to the rumors, especially since a new wireless device from Nest Labs was spotted at the FCC. Little is known about the device, as it appears Nest has asked the commission to keep out the juicier details about the device.

However, we know that the filing is for a device with the ID number ZQAT30, which appears to be in line with Nest's custom of naming its first and second-generation Nest thermostats, which have ID numbers ZQAT77 and ZQAT20 respectively. The Nest Protect smoke alarm, which was revamped just a few months ago, uses the ID number ZQAS30, while the Nest Cam, which was acquired from Dropcam, is ZQANC11.

Moreover, the FCC did not leave out the information label for the device, which as one can see from the image below, retains the same circular shape that can only be for the Nest thermostat. Other than its ID number and label shape, we also know that the device was tested for 802.a/b/g/n LAN connectivity on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands. It also has its own Bluetooth radio.

In June, Nest announced changes to majority of its product line, including its smart smoke alarm and security camera, but it left out the Nest thermostat, whose last iteration was introduced way back in 2012. With all the new developments in the burgeoning smart home industry, including the introduction of the ecobee3 smart thermostat that works with Apple's HomeKit, it only makes sense for Nest Labs to finally upgrade its flagship device with new sensors and better specs.

If the reports are true, this will be the very first product outed by a company under Alphabet. Headed by former Apple executive Tony Fadell, Nest Labs is one of the companies operating under the Alphabet corporate makeover. 

Photo: David Berkowitz | Flickr