For the most part they don't. I think it's mostly groupthink and data that's driving it. No one thinks outside the loop of gather data, send home, analyse and s

For the most part they don't. I think it's mostly groupthink and data that's driving it. No one thinks outside the loop of gather data, send home, analyse and sell, app talks to web Case in point, Musicbee - the excellent music player, has a little Android remote control app. It just operates via the local net behind the firewall. It's reliable and a well designed Android app. If Samsung, Apple, or any startup were providing this it would send all your data to the website and the app would operate via the website too. You'd gain the "convenience" of being able to change track and volume when out of earshot, and a web portal with adverts targeted on your listening and a pretty graph or two. There's no need for my toaster, dishwasher to be web aware. Living on the local net would be enough for any of the features they give.