Our homes may be getting smarter, but that means they are becoming more and more reliant on companies that may not last as long as we hoped. Wink may be one more victim, as Quirky files for banckrupcy.
Wink is a newcomer to the smart home segment, but it caught our attention thanks to very competitive prices and a wide range of features that would get better and better over time. But now it all changes, as Quirky goes bust and puts Wink up for sale.
This same here Wink had already shown us just how the "internet of things" can wrong, when a flaw made Wink Hubs lose communication with the internet leaving users unable to remotely access their homes; now, it shows us yet another pitfall, as these devices and services may come crashing down should its companies go out of business or be acquired by others.
One more point in favor of choosing nothing but devices using open, standard, protocols. That allow us to keep using them even in the eventual demise of a single company. I know that most companies will prefer to lock their customers in; but then, we have to face this sort of problems. Let's hope Wink survives this ordeal and can keep growing as a plataform, or else... there will be a lot of disappointed users that will be left feeling anything but "smart".
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