Ecobee is ending support for the first-ever smart thermostat. As of July 31, 2024, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat and Ecobee Energy Management System (EMS) thermostats can no longer be controlled remotely or use smart integrations. Basically anything that requires an internet connection will stop working. You still control your air conditioner in the same way you would a non-smart device – by controlling it through the device.
The company is offering affected users a 30 percent discount on a new Ecobee thermostat, valid for up to 15 thermostats. Customers should have received an email with the offer, but if not, Bryan Hurren, vice president of product design at Ecobee, recommends contacting support to get a code.
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat was the world’s first connected thermostat and was released in 2008 – one year after the first iPhone and three years before the original Nest Learning Thermostat. The EMS thermostat was released in 2010 and was designed for commercial installations. Both models were discontinued in 2013 ahead of the Ecobee 3’s introduction in 2014.
Hurren says Ecobee will continue to support its other older thermostats – including EMS SI, Smart SI and Ecobee 3. Additionally, none of its existing models such as Ecobee3 Lite, Smart Thermostat Premium and Smart Thermostat Enhanced are affected.
“This decision was not made lightly and is based on evolving technology standards and the challenge of supporting older hardware,” Hurren said in a statement The edge. “We recognize the frustration this can cause and are actively looking for ways to help affected users.”
The fact that Ecobee still supported the technology of 16 years ago is rare in today’s upgrade-focused world. But the move highlights a big caveat when buying cloud-dependent devices: If the company turns off cloud support, you’ll lose the smart features you paid for.
This may not be a big problem for devices that you plan to upgrade regularly, but for products that you build into your home’s infrastructure, such as a thermostat, the lifespan should be significantly longer. Unplugged thermostats can last for decades.
This is a smart home problem. Connecting products such as thermostats, refrigerators and washing machines to the cloud can bring benefits such as convenience and energy savings, but may come at the expense of longevity. Especially when a company has the power to flip the switch on all smart features.
Hurren declined to say how long they will support their newer models, but noted that the 10-year-old Ecobee 3 is still being updated. All models since the 3 have the option of local control via Apple HomeKit, which was missing from the Smart and EMS. So if Ecobee had disabled support for this, you would still have access to some smart features with an iPhone. However, a better option would be if the company offered a local API so that smart home platforms operating on your local network, such as Home Assistant and Hubitat, could connect directly to the thermostat.