This means how long devices you use to do the dishes, make meals or binge the latest box set will fend off hackers, and stay in good working order. With potential fines of up to £10 million, you’d think manufacturers would be rushing to comply. Well, you’d be wrong.
When we checked within days of the law coming into force, almost a quarter of smart brands did not have update policies for their products in the public domain. Among those that did, some we're offering just a year of support before they could, in theory, abandon the smart product that you own. Read on for full results on our investigation.
- see our in-depth guide to how long your smart tech and appliances will be supported.
Smart tech brands with poor support policies
Under the new regulations, brands must now publish a defined minimum period for smart product security update support with a clear end date. Yet, when we surveyed manufacturers and manually checked their websites after the law came in on 29 April 2024, in the case of 29 out of 128 brands (23%) we didn't get a response or see a published policy. That included big names such as Alcatel, Hoover and Netatmo.
A further 23 brands (18%) had a policy, but it wasn’t, in our view, clear what they were guaranteeing in terms of support. It might have stated a period of support time, for example, but without a clear date in which that will end. Which? believes 76 brands (59%) had a compliant published policy, stating a clearly defined support period. This despite the regulations stating that a policy should be ‘clear, ‘accessible’ and ‘transparent’, and understandable by anyone, regardless of their technical knowledge.
Update policies are important as they help you choose long-lasting smart products, and use them more securely. Ahead, we detail the best and worst policies across a range of smart product areas.
Smart white goods
While some white goods, such as fridge freezers, only have a small proportion of smart products. In other areas, like washing machines and dishwashers, around a third of their range is now 'smart'.
Update policies are intended to help you choose long-lasting smart products, and use them more securely. But if you only know about a policy after you have bought the product, or not at all, it rather defeats the point. Some smart white goods policies are tied to the 'warranty of the product', which in one case was just one year, others are 'from purchase', or from launch.
So it's still not an easy market to navigate, but you can find details of all policies we know about from the links below.
Smart entertainment/communication tech
Some products are exempt from the PSTI regulations, including laptop and desktop computers – the feeling is that these run operating systems like MacOS and Windows that are centrally controlled and monitored for security. Also excluded are wi-fi-only tablets that can’t get online using cellular networks (unless they are aimed exclusively at children).
Everything else is covered, including smartphones - and following years of us exposing the brands with good and bad support policies, fortunately the situation here is much improved. The same can't be said for all Smart TV and Printer brands, however.
Smart security
Sadly, too many manufacturers with high-performing devices, such as Ubiquiti and Arlo, have seemingly ignored the legislation. And all this was despite the industry having plenty of notice of the upcoming regulations.
Smart smoke/CO alarm
Smart home tech
Also covered by the legislation are products that we use to heat our homes, entertain ourselves and monitor our children while they sleep. They matter, and how long the companies that sell them to you will keep them in good working order matters too.
No one wants to see their thermostat expire unexpectedly in the dead of winter, or even worse get locked with ransomware by a hacker. The same goes for smart radiator valves.
:Baby monitors
Smart tech should last as long as possible
Back in 2014, we criticised manufacturers for having ‘commitment issues’ when it comes to smart product support. Ten years on we have seen improvements, but on the whole it's still not nearly good enough.
Despite the product security law being introduced, far too many manufacturers have pushed the limits of what’s required, or just ignored it completely. We’ve taken aim at the industry here, but we should be equally outraged by our lawmakers. The government failed to tightly define these regulations (despite us calling for it) and the designated regulator (the Office of Product Safety and Standards) has failed to give clear guidance to brands (again, we asked for this). And what has ensued is an abject but predictable mess of compliance.
Let’s not forget that update policy transparency was supposed to help you buy and use smart products more securely. By surfacing how long a smart product will be supported, you know how long that manufacturer has committed to maintain the product digitally in good working order.
You might wonder why we’re so bothered about this issue. Will my washing machine ever really get hacked? Well, that’s missing the point.
One day all products will be smart, manufacturers charge a premium for it and should ensure products stay secure and work effectively for as long as possible. In many ways, this is a battle for the soul of the products you use every single day – and our fight has only just begun.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:“It’s bad news for consumers and the environment, especially when you consider these short support periods could result in smart tech ending up in landfill way before its time.
“The OPSS must urgently investigate this issue, provide clear guidance for manufacturers and explain how it is going to crack down on brands ignoring security laws designed to help consumers buy products that are built to last.”
News, deals and stuff the manuals don't tell you. .source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/how-long-will-your-smart-products-last-big-brands-fail-to-deliver-on-new-security-laws-atIYq4m4VP09