Image: Ben Patterson/Foundry
The FTC has dug into the persistent problem of smart home devices becoming useless after manufacturers stop supporting them. In a new staff paper, agency researchers reviewed 184 smart products and searched for disclosures about how long companies would provide software updates. They found no information about support duration or end dates for 89% of the products.
The report stops short of immediate enforcement but warns manufacturers that failing to disclose update timelines could violate federal law. If a product comes with a written warranty but omits details about how long software updates will be provided, the maker may be breaching the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which requires written warranties for consumer products over $15 to be available to buyers before sale and to include certain disclosures. Similarly, companies that make express or implied claims about a device’s longevity without clarifying software support risk running afoul of the FTC Act.
In a related consumer alert, the FTC tells buyers to weigh whether a smart product is worth the price and to consider how the device will function if the manufacturer stops issuing updates. Smart devices often have short lifespans: manufacturers sometimes end online support or updates just a few years after release. Without updates, devices can lose features, stop working entirely, and miss critical security patches.
The paper cites frequent real-world examples of smart products that were discontinued or rendered inoperable after support ended, such as the Amazon Echo Look and Google’s Nest Secure. The FTC’s review highlights the information gap consumers face and signals increased scrutiny of how smart home makers disclose software support and update policies.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
