Another day, another smart device bites the dust – or, in this case, the full lineup of smart home devices.
On Thursday, consumer electronics company Belkin said it had ended technical support for older WEMO products as of January 31, 2026, and that the apps used to control devices are no longer supported. This decision will affect a variety of devices, including smart plugs, light switches, smart bulbs, baby monitors, kitchen appliances, heaters, air purifiers, motion sensors, and more.
In an email to the customer, the costume said that it should explain the decision and shift focus elsewhere.
“This decision was not made lightly,” reads the email. “In the past decade, since Belkin first launched WEMO in 2011, we have been working to provide consumers with innovative and easy-to-use accessories for a seamless smart home experience. But as technology evolves, we need to focus our resources on different parts of the Belkin business.”
“We understand that this change can disrupt your routine and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused,” the company added.
According to Belkin, products still under warranty by the end of their life expectancy may be eligible for partial refunds, and products configured for use with Apple's HomeKit will continue to function without WEMO's cloud services and the WEMO app. The app will no longer be supported after January 31, 2026, and device features that rely on cloud connectivity, such as remote access and voice integration, will no longer work.
The company will not provide technical support, firmware, software updates or troubleshooting assistance since January 31st.
The move to end the line of smart home products leaves consumers without access to technology integrated into everyday life. This isn't just about kids toys going offline. That's more important. (Of course, toys going offline can also be devastating. Take a look at the sad farewell of fellow robotic moxie, for example.)
It is becoming increasingly common for businesses to simply terminate support for older smart home products without technical reasons. Instead, these moves will allow companies to focus their efforts on more profitable areas of their business, as Belkin implies.
For example, Google recently announced a move similar to its decision to shut down its old Nest Devices.
In April, the tech giant said it would no longer support the earliest generation of nest learning thermostats. As of October 25, 2025, Nest's first and second generation models have blocked connected features, stopped receiving updates, stopped working with the Nest or Google Home app, making it essentially a “silly” device.
Instead of dedicating resources to support your customer base, it's easier to email offers to help you upgrade to a new version. For Nest, this is $130 from the Nest fourth-generation thermostat, typically $279.99. It may be a fair deal, but being forced to upgrade due to obsolescence doesn't work well with many customers whose devices still function properly despite their age.
However, this process can occur when Google shuts down this many smart devices and Nest apps at once, protecting them from facing class action lawsuits. By pushing these customers out of the Nest app and incentivizing them to upgrade to a new device, Google can argue that if a lawsuit is filed, the use of the old device is actually quite low. This will reduce the fines and compensation that such lawsuits result in, making it easier for Google, and perhaps ultimately shutting down the Nest app.
Additionally, providing customers with sophisticated notifications of these types of movements reduces legal risk for the company.
In the case of Belkin, customers who joined WEMO for Smart Home would be greatly affected and perhaps very angry if they weren't eligible for a partial refund.
Belkin has provided a complete list of affected devices, including a wide range of smart home products across multiple categories.
Image credits: Belkin
Belkin points out that the decision will not affect WEMO's thread-based products (Skus WLS0503, WDC010, WSC010, WSP100), which will continue to function as it is today through Apple's home kit.