"I wanna keep my appliances dumb, thank you."
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Appliance makers like Whirlpool and LG just can't understand. They added Wi-Fi antennae to their latest dishwashers, ovens, and refrigerators and built apps for them—and yet only 50 percent or fewer of their owners have connected them. What gives?
The issue, according to manufacturers quoted in a Wall Street Journal report (subscription usually required), is that customers just don't know all the things a manufacturer can do if users connect the device that spins their clothes or keeps their food cold—things like "providing manufacturers with data and insights about how customers are using their products" and allowing companies to "send over-the-air updates" and "sell relevant replacement parts or subscription services."
“The challenge is that a consumer doesn’t see the true value that manufacturers see in terms of how that data can help them in the long run. So they don’t really care for spending time to just connect it,” Henry Kim, US director of LG's smart device division ThinQ, told the Journal.
LG told the Journal that fewer than half of its smart appliances—which represent 80–90 percent of its sold appliances—stay connected to the Internet. Whirlpool reported that "more than half" are connected. Wi-Fi-connected smart appliances may be connected when they're first set up, but a new Internet provider, router hardware, or Wi-Fi password could take the device offline. And a smart oven is likely to be far down the list of devices to set up again once that happens.
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I totally agree. The only ‘appliance’ I’ve hooked up is a bathroom scale. I’m a data-oriented guy and it’s nice to have that transfer automatically to my phone. Other connectable devices I’ve purchased, which included a washer, an AC, and a garage door opener, all stayed unconnected.
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The only "connected" things in my house are a BP cuff - and that only stores data and emails it to me when I want and my cable box.
Though, I must admit, I like having a couple of HomePods around the house - besides music, they're great for controlling lights, sending texts, etc.
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Yeah, post-tx for about a year I monitored my BP daily, and transferred that to a spreadsheet on my phone manually. I would have used a connected device if I had one.
It’s like the scale, health data I want to keep to see changes over time. (In a sense my connected watch is just such an ‘appliance’). I
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We try to avoid connecting too much - without wanting to sound like a lunatic, sooner or later there's going to be security implications for this stuff, as well as obvious privacy issues.
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Hey, Henry, connect this.
Geez. When you're a hammer everything looks like a nail. From where I sit, you LG people sound like lunatics. Just lemme wash my damn clothes without the starry-eyed tech explosion, mkay?
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Hey, Henry, connect this.
Geez. When you're a hammer everything looks like a nail. From where I sit, you LG people sound like lunatics. Just lemme wash my damn clothes without the starry-eyed tech explosion, mkay?
@Catseye3 said in "I wanna keep my appliances dumb, thank you.":
Hey, Henry, connect this.
Geez. When you're a hammer everything looks like a nail. From where I sit, you LG people sound like lunatics. Just lemme wash my damn clothes without the starry-eyed tech explosion, mkay?
We recently bought a swanky new LG TV. The hardware is great, really nice picture quality etc.
The software sucks ass. Frequent updates required and ‘can’t connect to the internet’ despite the network being right there and nothing else having a problem.
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Get a Roku. I like keeping functional devices separate.
My Cafe range is Wi-Fi connected. The only benefit is I can start the ovens from my chair. Big whoop. I may disconnect it.
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Get a Roku. I like keeping functional devices separate.
My Cafe range is Wi-Fi connected. The only benefit is I can start the ovens from my chair. Big whoop. I may disconnect it.
@Mik said in "I wanna keep my appliances dumb, thank you.":
Get a Roku. I like keeping functional devices separate.
We did that with the old tv, but you know, it's supposed to freaking work without one. We don't have cable anymore, so the TV is just used for streaming.
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We have no appliances or, to my knowledge, gadgets other than our cell phones that qualify as smart. When the time comes to replace them I will try avoid anything that requires an app or WiFi connection.
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@Renauda In my experience, none require it. I think they don’t want to limit their sales to the few that want everything connected.
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Our "smart" appliances include a Washer, Dryer, and Fridge we recently purchased after moving into the house. All are LG. I've hooked them up to WiFi, I'm not really concerned if someone hacks how often I use the washer or open the fridge.
That being said, the "smart Fridge" doesn't add much other than being able to monitor filter status, or troubleshoot issues the fridge self-detects. The fridge does determine how often the fridge (or freezer) is used and adjusts power consumption and defrost cycles accordingly to reduce energy used. Certainly not really needed, but also 30 seconds to set up.
The "smart washer/dryer" is similar. I can get an alert if a cycle is done, or pause it, if I'm away from the house. And I get metrics for how often cycles are used, and when a self-cleaning cycle is recommended. But like the fridge, isn't really needed but also only about 30 seconds to set up.
Ironically, I guess...we do not have a doorbell camera or anything. We prefer, I suppose you could say, the "old school" method of just trusting your neighbors, family, and not being dinged on your phone each time a car or person is in the view of the camera. Of course, when my kid wanders away or a package is stolen, I'll regret not having a camera.
