Smart gadgets can stop working when the company behind them quits

A smart gadget can stop being smart when the company behind it switches off its online services. Owners of Neato robot vacuums lost app controls after cloud services were phased out from October 2025. Belkin shut down cloud services for many WeMo products in January, and the WeMo app stopped working.

What changed

Many smart gadgets lean on servers run by the maker or by outside providers. Those servers process commands and manage features. When they go away, the hardware can be left without the parts that made it useful.

Neato's maker ceased operating in May 2023. Its parent company, Vorwerk, later phased out the cloud services. With Belkin, features that relied on the cloud, such as Google Assistant integration, stopped too.

Big names are not immune. When Google moved Nest devices to its own platform, it dropped support for some of the original Nest Learning Thermostats.

Who it affects

Anyone with smart lights, cameras, thermostats, plugs or appliances that depend on an app or an account. Older products with relatively few users are the most exposed, though no connected gadget is entirely safe.

Some owners got a partial break. WeMo devices already set up with Apple's HomeKit before the shutdown kept working locally. But owners could not configure those devices again afterward.

What to do

Four checks before buying can lower the risk.

• Look for local control and Matter support, so basic functions do not depend on the maker's servers.
• Ask what still works if the internet goes down, especially for security gear and costly appliances.
• Research the maker's support policy and its record of ending services. A heavy discount may signal an older product.
• Check whether the device can work with another hub or system, and whether it can be reset without the maker's servers.

For cameras, a model with no subscription and local recording can save headaches. It is still worth confirming you can reach your footage without the maker's app.

What Matter does and does not do

Matter is a smart home standard backed by Apple, Google and Amazon. Compatible gadgets can talk to a controller inside your home for basic functions, without a maker's cloud. The TP-Link Tapo Smart Plug Mini is one plug that supports it out of the box.

It is not a cure-all. Some maker-specific features, firmware updates and remote access may still need the internet. Certain products also need an app or account for first-time setup. Local control offers good protection, but picking the right device still matters.