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Another day, another smart device bites the dust \u2014 or, in this case, a full lineup of smart home devices.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, the consumer electronics company Belkin said it will end technical support for its older Wemo products<\/a> as of January 31, 2026, and that the app used to control the devices will no longer be supported. The decision will impact a range of devices, including smart plugs, light switches, smart bulbs, baby monitors, kitchen appliances, heaters, air purifiers, motion sensors, and more.<\/p>\n In an email to customers, the outfit explained its decision, saying it needed to shift its focus elsewhere.<\/p>\n \u201cThis decision was not made lightly,\u201d the email reads. \u201cOver the last decade, since Belkin first launched Wemo in 2011, we\u2019ve been committed to providing consumers with innovative, simple-to-use accessories for a seamless smart home experience. However, as technology evolves, we must focus our resources on different parts of the Belkin business.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe understand this change may disrupt your routines, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience,\u201d the company added.<\/p>\n Belkin says that products still under warranty by the end-of-life date may be eligible for a partial refund<\/a> and that its products configured for use with Apple\u2019s HomeKit will continue to function even without Wemo\u2019s cloud services and the Wemo app. The app will also no longer be supported after January 31, 2026, and any device features that rely on cloud connectivity, like remote access or voice integrations, will no longer work.<\/p>\n The company won\u2019t offer technical support, firmware, software updates, or troubleshooting assistance after January 31, either. <\/p>\n The move to terminate a line of smart home products leaves consumers without access to technology that has become integrated into their daily lives \u2014 this isn\u2019t just a child\u2019s toy going offline; it\u2019s more essential. (Of course, toys going offline can be devastating, too. See, for example, the sad farewells<\/a> for the robot<\/a> companion<\/a> Moxie<\/a>.)<\/p>\n It\u2019s becoming increasingly common for companies to simply end support for their older smart home products without any technical reason to do so. Instead, these moves allow companies \u2014 as Belkin alludes to \u2014 to refocus their efforts on more profitable areas of their businesses.<\/p>\n Google recently announced a similar move with its decision to shut down its older Nest devices, for instance.<\/p>\n