Kevo app shutdown

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Reaction to Kevo Shutdown & Short Notice

  • Many consider 10 years a poor lifespan for a critical device like a door lock, especially when “support” ending means loss of core functionality.
  • Two months’ notice is widely viewed as unreasonably short; people could be traveling or otherwise unable to reconfigure access in time.
  • Some argue users should always keep a physical key accessible; others note non-technical users reasonably expect critical systems to either keep working or fail gradually with clear warning.

Cloud-Dependent IoT and App Decommissioning

  • The lock is Bluetooth-based but depends on a cloud-tied app/account for provisioning; shutting down the app effectively bricks smart features.
  • Broader frustration: many “local” Bluetooth/Wi-Fi products refuse to work without internet or an online account, even for purely local control.
  • Discussion on apps: some say app maintenance is genuinely costly due to OS and store policy churn; others respond that large vendors simply don’t want to invest and should open-source instead.

Local-First Ecosystems & Alternatives

  • Strong advocacy for local protocols (Zigbee, Z-Wave, KNX, Home Assistant), and for devices that function fully without vendor clouds.
  • Some praise HomeKit/Matter/Thread as “perpetual-enough” local control layers; others are skeptical Apple (or any big platform) will keep these running forever or find the UX unreliable.
  • Several people run fully local smart locks and thermostats and report better reliability, flexibility, and privacy.

Value vs. Risk of Smart Locks

  • Skeptics see smart locks as needless complexity for something a key does extremely well, with many new failure modes and cloud risk.
  • Proponents highlight real convenience: hands-free unlocking, auto-locking, temporary codes for guests/pet sitters, audit logs, and travel/emergency access.
  • Some note physical break-ins rarely involve sophisticated lock attacks; forgetting to lock the door at all is the more common risk.

Business Models, Regulation, and Workarounds

  • Commenters see recurring pattern across brands: cloud features used for data mining and lock-in, then shut down when no longer profitable.
  • Proposed remedies: legislation mandating minimum support periods or forced open-sourcing of firmware/apps at EOL.
  • Others recommend only buying jailbreakable devices or aftermarket open-source boards, to keep otherwise-good hardware out of landfills.