Fees, subscriptions, friction or worse defaults tilt the product toward extraction.

What you can do

List the features you need, keep local documentation, and choose hardware with a usable local fallback when replacing devices.

The evidence

Case file 27 · 25 October 2025The Nest stayed on the wall. Its smart features left the house.Google ended app and cloud support for first- and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats, turning a connected appliance into a local-only device after purchase.2 sources · Read the case file →

Other device records