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Can someone summarize the apparent PR problem Logitech is trying to solve? I'm not familiar with the situation.

Piskvorrr 9y ago
Previous situation was apparently "That newish home automation device that you bought from Logitech? It'd be a shame if anything were to happen to it - so we're shutting it down for you. But by coincidence, here's a very similar device that we're selling, and you're lucky, we'll give you a discount!" That announcement...was not received amiably amongst the userbase. After a day or two of internet's ire, it looks that the "loss of goodwill" column has finally outstripped the "cost of total replacements" column. tinfoilhat: Anyway, I for one deeply regret this - not least because I have some great Logitech devices that I depend on, and now I'm worried someone might decide to accidentaly brick them in a firmware upgrade, as they're no longer generating profit for Logitech. /tinfoilhat
- chrisrhoden 9y ago
  I think you are confusing the link and the hub. The link has no home automation functions and hasn't been sold for 4 years. That said, they badly mishandled this situation, and the fact that there was so much product confusion (people thought they had just bought a link, when they had bought a hub, and people who bought a link even when it was released 6 years ago have a reasonable expectation for it to keep working) and I am glad they have shifted their position.
  - Piskvorrr 9y ago
    Am not. "Harmony Link allows you to use your Apple mobile device (iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch) or Android mobile device to control your entertainment system. Using the Logitech Harmony Link app, you can launch activities and control devices with a single touch. " That, in my opinion, falls under "home automation" - consolidated, remote control of household entertainment system is a part of that, IMNSHO. Also, while 6 years might be hopelessly outdated for a mobile phone or a tablet, here I am, typing on an even older computer (which has been only upgraded slightly), and don't get me started on the car. For home automation, I would expect the appliance's lifecycle to be closer to the refrigerator and oven (20 years and still going; EDIT: this applies to audio as well, my previous A/V setup was mostly older than me while it worked, and I'm no audiophile), not to "get your ass on the HW upgrade treadmill and replace again with iWhatever2017 or suffer the consequences." There's the point, as you note: the expectation to keep working, as opposed to an endless pile of discarded gadgets.
mynameisvlad 9y ago
Another comment has a link to a Verge article that can probably explain it better than I can, but basically, Logitech initially announced the discontinuation of Harmony Links, with the device being bricked post-March 2018 due to some certificate not being renewed. If you were out of warranty, the best they could do at the time was 35% off the new device. People got mad, media found out about it. Now they suddenly can replace everyone's no problem.

Previous situation was apparently "That newish home automation device that you bought from Logitech? It'd be a shame if anything were to happen to it - so we're shutting it down for you. But by coincidence, here's a very similar device that we're selling, and you're lucky, we'll give you a discount!" That announcement...was not received amiably amongst the userbase. After a day or two of internet's ire, it looks that the "loss of goodwill" column has finally outstripped the "cost of total replacements" column. tinfoilhat: Anyway, I for one deeply regret this - not least because I have some great Logitech devices that I depend on, and now I'm worried someone might decide to accidentaly brick them in a firmware upgrade, as they're no longer generating profit for Logitech. /tinfoilhat

chrisrhoden 9y ago
I think you are confusing the link and the hub. The link has no home automation functions and hasn't been sold for 4 years. That said, they badly mishandled this situation, and the fact that there was so much product confusion (people thought they had just bought a link, when they had bought a hub, and people who bought a link even when it was released 6 years ago have a reasonable expectation for it to keep working) and I am glad they have shifted their position.
- Piskvorrr 9y ago
  Am not. "Harmony Link allows you to use your Apple mobile device (iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch) or Android mobile device to control your entertainment system. Using the Logitech Harmony Link app, you can launch activities and control devices with a single touch. " That, in my opinion, falls under "home automation" - consolidated, remote control of household entertainment system is a part of that, IMNSHO. Also, while 6 years might be hopelessly outdated for a mobile phone or a tablet, here I am, typing on an even older computer (which has been only upgraded slightly), and don't get me started on the car. For home automation, I would expect the appliance's lifecycle to be closer to the refrigerator and oven (20 years and still going; EDIT: this applies to audio as well, my previous A/V setup was mostly older than me while it worked, and I'm no audiophile), not to "get your ass on the HW upgrade treadmill and replace again with iWhatever2017 or suffer the consequences." There's the point, as you note: the expectation to keep working, as opposed to an endless pile of discarded gadgets.

mynameisvlad 9y ago

Another comment has a link to a Verge article that can probably explain it better than I can, but basically, Logitech initially announced the discontinuation of Harmony Links, with the device being bricked post-March 2018 due to some certificate not being renewed. If you were out of warranty, the best they could do at the time was 35% off the new device. People got mad, media found out about it. Now they suddenly can replace everyone's no problem.