Not so smart...products risk becoming obsolete
SMART appliances could be obsolete too soon because manufacturers are failing to be clear about how long they will provide vital software updates, Which? claims.
White goods such as fridges, dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers with smart capabilities allow owners to control certain features remotely from a smartphone.
They also send alerts to engineers if a fault is detected.
The consumer watchdog estimates these appliances should last between 10-11 years with or without smart technology.
But it is concerned about the lack of clarity from makers on the length of time smart features are supported with software updates. Lack of updates could leave users unable to access some smart functions, as well as data being abandoned on their home network.
As a result, expensive machines that still work could be replaced before their time or even end up in landfill because they are not supported or secure.
When approached by Which?, the majority of manufacturers claimed they would offer updates for what they termed “the life of the product”.
Samsung said this was “a minimum of two years”, while Hoover/Candy claimed an appliance’s lifetime. Whirlpool said it had no timeframe unless stated. Miele gave the only definitive answer, 10 years.