Nest Labs, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is shutting down its Revolv smart home hub system. The Revolv app will not open anymore and the hub will cease to function; an occurrence that is a cause concern as there is uncertainty about how smart home gadgets will live up to the ongoing states of technology.
Revolv is one of the many small startup companies that aim to produce a novel product and sell it to the public, but as it occurred in this case, there is the possibility that the technology is bought by a larger company, which will eventually cease to provide support for its development.
The Revolv Smart Home Hub was expected to be a part of the “Works With Nest” array of devices. The initiative expected to connect several home appliances, such as security cameras, doors, lights and many others.
The decision came to fruition in February, when the company stopped issuing updates for its mobile applications. Revolv founders have stated that they have instead chosen to pour all of their energy in the “Works With Nest” platform, which implied having to stop leading resources into Revolv.
The reactions
The decision to forcefully shut down thousands of Revolv smart home hub devices has enraged customers. Several CEOs and clients have outlet their feelings through comments and web-articles by stating that Nest betrayed its customers by “intentionally bricking” the devices they decided to buy for $300, a significant sum of money.
When asked about the matter, Nest spokesmen didn’t want to state how many customers would be affected by the sudden measure. Nest, a company that in other words is owned by Google, hosts Revolv’s servers and it has chosen to stop providing support for the application or its systems.
“As of May 15, 2016, Revolv service will no longer be available. The Revolv app won’t open and the hub won’t work (…) Our one-year warranty against defects in materials or workmanship has expired for all Revolv products,” reads the official Revolv website.
There have been many cases of tech companies launching a product that will eventually cease to work, but in Revolv’s case, Nest is intentionally shutting down the whole system. The decision has been criticized by CEOs and digital rights organizations, which has led to doubt regarding the true intentions of companies that issue hardware and software services, as a shopper can never know if their newly-bought equipment will cease to work a couple of days later, even if it is protected by store or brand guarantee.
Source: The Verge