From "smart" hearing aids and air conditioners to lightbulbs and microwaves, who knows how long these devices will be supported through updates?
Nearly 89% of smart device manufacturers don't say how long they will get support via updates, according to a review of 184 product webpages by the Federal Trade Commission.
Generally, smart devices are connected to the internet and are remotely controlled through apps, such as adjusting home lighting or seeing a visitor via a doorbell camera.
Unlike non-connected devices, smart devices rely on software or an app that needs regular updates to protect the device against security threats and to maintain connectivity.
"If the manufacturer stops providing these updates, the product may lose its 'smart' functionality, become insecure, or completely cease to operate," the FTC said. "Maybe the manufacturer will support the device forever, or maybe just for the same time period as the written warranty if one is offered."
Where do smart devices say how long they will be supported?
Of the 184 product webpages the FTC reviewed, only 21 disclosed the smart device support duration or end date.
Details on how long the smart device is supported was mostly found in "tech specs" or "product information" sections, while others put it in the FAQ or footnote in small print, the FTC said.
Still, the FTC said information on how long a smart device is supported could be confusing.
The majority of devices that disclosed their support information said the support duration was a certain number of years from the release date, the FTC said, but some had ambiguous language such as "lifetime technical support," "as long as your device is fully operational" and "continuous software updates."
In many cases, details on how long a device would be supported could be found elsewhere on the manufacturer's website, instead of the product webpage.
The FTC also said it was often difficult to find the product's release date, which is key to understanding how long it would be supported.
What's the solution?
The FTC said that policymakers and law enforcers should consider the failure of companies to disclose how long they will support their smart devices.
Failure to disclose support information may violate the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act, which requires that products with warranties costing more than $15 disclose the warranties in detail prior to sale, the FTC said.
The law requires that warranties disclose a number of things, the FTC said, including "a clear description and identification of products, or parts, or characteristics, or components or properties covered by and where necessary for clarification, excluded from the warranty."