Serious question, why does every "smart" gadget need its own app now?

I picked up a $40 smart plug last week to turn off my living room lamp on a timer. Simple enough right? Nope. Had to download their app, make an account, connect to my wifi, then sit through a firmware update. For a light switch. My old mechanical timer cost $8 and I set it with a dial in 10 seconds. I don't want 14 apps on my phone just to run my house. Has anyone else just ditched the smart stuff and gone back to basic?

2 comments

2 Comments

roseb621mo ago

Is your lamp really that complicated that it needs a whole app and firmware update just to turn off at 10pm? I get wanting convenience but this is more like a chore than a solution. My neighbor has 6 different smart home apps on her phone and she spends more time troubleshooting than actually using them. I tried a smart bulb once and gave up when it wouldn't reconnect after a power outage. Back to regular bulbs and a $5 outlet timer that hasn't failed me in 3 years. Sometimes the old ways win because they just work without needing a tech degree to operate.

paige_martin1mo ago

You mentioned "a $5 outlet timer that hasn't failed me in 3 years" and @roseb62, I'd gently push back on that just a bit since those mechanical timers can lose or gain time over the months depending on your power cycles. They're definitely simpler and more reliable than the smart stuff for basic on/off schedules, but I've had a couple start clicking wrong after a while when the little motor gears get sticky. For pure simplicity though, I completely get why you went back, nothing beats setting a dial and walking away.