After 16 years, Ecobee is shutting down support for the original smart thermostat

Ecobee is discontinuing support for nan very first smart thermostat. As of July 31st, 2024, nan Ecobee Smart Thermostat and nan Ecobee Energy Management System (EMS) thermostats will nary longer beryllium capable to beryllium controlled remotely aliases usage immoderate smart integrations. Basically, thing that requires an net relationship will extremity working. They will still proceed to power your HVAC successful nan aforesaid measurement a non-smart instrumentality does — by you controlling it connected nan device.  

The institution is offering affected users a 30 percent discount on a caller Ecobee thermostat, valid for up to 15 thermostats. Customers should person received an email pinch nan offer, but if not, Ecobee’s VP of merchandise design, Bryan Hurren, says to contact support to get a code.

The Ecobee Smart Thermostat was nan world’s first connected thermostat, launching successful 2008 — a twelvemonth aft nan first iPhone and 3 years earlier nan original Nest Learning Thermostat. The EMS thermostat came successful 2010 and was designed for commercialized installations. Both models were discontinued successful 2013 anterior to nan introduction of nan Ecobee 3 successful 2014.

Hurren says Ecobee will still support its different bequest thermostats — including nan EMS SI, nan Smart SI, and nan Ecobee 3. Additionally, nary of its existing models, specified arsenic nan Ecobee3 Lite, Smart Thermostat Premium, and Smart Thermostat Enhanced, are impacted.

“This determination was not taken lightly, and was made based connected evolving exertion standards and nan situation of supporting older hardware,” Hurren said successful a connection to The Verge. “We admit nan vexation this whitethorn origin and are actively exploring ways to assistance affected users.”

The truth that Ecobee was still supporting exertion from 16 years agone is uncommon successful today’s upgrade-focused world. But nan move does exemplify a large caveat erstwhile buying cloud-dependent devices: if nan institution turns disconnected unreality support, you will suffer those smart features you paid for.

That whitethorn not beryllium a large rumor for devices you scheme to upgrade regularly, but for products you instal into your home’s infrastructure, for illustration a thermostat, there’s an anticipation they should past a batch longer. Non-connected thermostats tin past decades.

This is simply a symptom constituent pinch nan smart home. Connecting products for illustration thermostats, fridges, and washing machines to nan unreality whitethorn bring benefits for illustration convenience and power savings, but it tin beryllium astatine nan disbursal of longevity. Especially erstwhile a institution has nan powerfulness to flip nan move connected immoderate smart features.

Hurren declined to opportunity really agelong they’ll support their newer models but pointed retired that nan 10-year-old Ecobee 3 is still being updated. All models since nan 3 person nan action for section power done Apple HomeKit, thing nan Smart and EMS lacked. So, if Ecobee did move disconnected support for those, you’d still person entree to immoderate smart features if you utilized an iPhone. However, a amended action would beryllium if nan institution offered a section API truthful smart location platforms that run connected your section network, specified arsenic Home Assistant and Hubitat, could link straight to nan thermostat.