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Wink Subscription

30 points by antibland 6y ago

graton 6y ago
Makes me glad that I moved the last of my devices off of Wink about two weeks ago. Makes it easy for me to unplug it. I am considering throwing it in the trash, but maybe someone has a way to repurpose it.
graton 6y ago
TL;DR In one week Wink requires a $4.99/month subscription. If you don't pay it then starting 13-May-2020 you lose all access to your Wink device. Seems a little ransom/blackmail-ey given how little time they are giving people to switch over :(
- itake 6y ago
  I assume people bought this with the assumption of device lifetime support.
  - graton 6y ago
    I think so. The marketing said no monthly fee. See: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wink-Smart-Home-Monitoring-Kit-with-Wink-Hub-2-and-2x-Leviton-Plug-in-modules-PBNDL-YOW24/303163145 https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wink-Smart-Home-Monitoring-Kit-w... Last bullet point: Items in this bundle <snip> and more, all with no monthly fees
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
joshstrange 6y ago
So glad I got my dad to switch to SmartThings a little bit back when Wink was having a ton of uptime issues and the company looked like it was going under. This is a completely despicable bait-and-switch. This subscription is the last gasp of a dying company. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't last another year.
makecheck 6y ago
The fundamental problem is the way app stores operate: they are maximizing their ability to fleece developers and users. And worse, they’ve created a system where almost every issue causes users to blame only the developer (e.g. bad reviews). There was very little wrong with the traditional “free trial then buy”, and “buy next major version” model. Also, it crucially preserved the value of software, which is much larger than a few dollars. The only “flaw” was that it’s less money for gatekeepers so the stores have refused to support traditional buying models in any sensible way, over a decade later. As a developer, I refuse to participate in a subscription or in-app purchase model because it is never what I want as a user of software. It only makes sense for things that are constantly having major content added like TV shows. A subscription feels like a server asking you for another tip every time you lift your fork while eating. It’s not that I “couldn’t” pay you in this way, and it’s not that I don’t think you need to make money but isn’t this method a little ridiculous?

30 points by antibland 6y ago

Makes me glad that I moved the last of my devices off of Wink about two weeks ago. Makes it easy for me to unplug it. I am considering throwing it in the trash, but maybe someone has a way to repurpose it.

graton 6y ago

TL;DR In one week Wink requires a $4.99/month subscription. If you don't pay it then starting 13-May-2020 you lose all access to your Wink device. Seems a little ransom/blackmail-ey given how little time they are giving people to switch over :(

itake 6y ago
I assume people bought this with the assumption of device lifetime support.
- graton 6y ago
  I think so. The marketing said no monthly fee. See: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wink-Smart-Home-Monitoring-Kit-with-Wink-Hub-2-and-2x-Leviton-Plug-in-modules-PBNDL-YOW24/303163145 https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wink-Smart-Home-Monitoring-Kit-w... Last bullet point: Items in this bundle <snip> and more, all with no monthly fees
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]

joshstrange 6y ago

So glad I got my dad to switch to SmartThings a little bit back when Wink was having a ton of uptime issues and the company looked like it was going under. This is a completely despicable bait-and-switch. This subscription is the last gasp of a dying company. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't last another year.

makecheck 6y ago

The fundamental problem is the way app stores operate: they are maximizing their ability to fleece developers and users. And worse, they’ve created a system where almost every issue causes users to blame only the developer (e.g. bad reviews). There was very little wrong with the traditional “free trial then buy”, and “buy next major version” model. Also, it crucially preserved the value of software, which is much larger than a few dollars. The only “flaw” was that it’s less money for gatekeepers so the stores have refused to support traditional buying models in any sensible way, over a decade later. As a developer, I refuse to participate in a subscription or in-app purchase model because it is never what I want as a user of software. It only makes sense for things that are constantly having major content added like TV shows. A subscription feels like a server asking you for another tip every time you lift your fork while eating. It’s not that I “couldn’t” pay you in this way, and it’s not that I don’t think you need to make money but isn’t this method a little ridiculous?