The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has expressed concern over lack of manufacturer commitment to software updates for smart devices, citing the risk that security flaws won’t be fixed, or that products will cease to function altogether.This echoes concerns we’ve been raising for the past couple of years about us never really owning the smart products we buy … We never really own our smart devices We first raised this concern in 2022.We flagged it again last year when hi-tech ebike company VanMoof ran into financial difficulties, and owners of the expensive bikes were potentially going to be left unable to unlock them.
That issue was, thankfully, resolved.FTC expresses concern about software updates The FTC has now expressed the same concerns.It checked the websites of 184 different smart products to see what promises brands made about future support, and found that the vast majority failed to offer any assurances at all.
The agency says this failure may actually break the law.Ironically, the FTC itself isn’t saying what it plans to do about the problem, but the fact that it is highlighting the issue is at least a step in the right direction. You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day.
Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop.Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel