Smart Gifts That Stopped Working: 5 Gadgets Their Makers Switched Off (2026)

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Short answer

Five popular smart gadgets lost most or all of their features when their makers shut down servers or apps: the Spotify Car Thing (Dec 2024), Humane AI Pin (Feb 2025), Amazon Halo (Aug 2023), first- and second-gen Nest Learning Thermostats in Google’s apps (Oct 2025), and Neato robot vacuums’ app (from Oct 2025). Before gifting a smart gadget, make sure it still does its main job without the app.

How we researched this

We did not own these gadgets. Every date, refund term and feature change comes from the maker’s own notice (Neato, Google, Amazon, iRobot) or The Verge’s reporting, linked inline. We read each source on November 9, 2026. Last updated November 9, 2026.

The shutdowns at a glance

Gadget	What stopped	When	What still works	Refund?
Neato robot vacuums	Neato cloud and MyNeato app control	Phase-out announced Oct 6, 2025	Manual mode: press the button for a full-house run	No refund in Neato’s Oct 6 notice; warranty still honored (Neato also lists a voluntary exchange program for customers in Europe)
Nest Learning Thermostat (1st gen 2011, 2nd gen 2012/2014)	App control, remote control, notifications, software and security updates	Oct 25, 2025	On-device temperature, modes and saved schedules	Discount on a 4th-gen Nest for eligible U.S. and Canada users
Humane AI Pin	Calling, messaging, AI answers, cloud access	Feb 28, 2025, 3 PM ET	Offline features such as battery level	Only within 90 days of shipment, requested by Feb 27, 2025
Spotify Car Thing	Everything: the device became “no longer operational”	Dec 9, 2024	Nothing official (hobbyists repurposed some units)	Contact Spotify with proof of purchase by Jan 14, 2025
Amazon Halo (View, Band, Rise)	Devices and app	Aug 1, 2023	Nothing; health data deleted after Aug 1, 2023	Purchases in the prior 12 months refunded
iRobot Roomba	Nothing so far	Chapter 11 filed Dec 14, 2025; Picea acquiring	iRobot says app, support, warranties and applicable updates continue	Not applicable

What happened, gadget by gadget

Neato robot vacuums: the “five-year promise” that ended early

Neato Robotics, owned by Germany’s Vorwerk since 2017, closed in 2023. On October 6, 2025, Neato’s support site announced it was “phasing out Neato cloud services.” The notice says Neato had committed to five years of cloud service and Vorwerk kept the platform running to honor it, but changing “cybersecurity standards, compliance obligations, and regulatory frameworks” meant the infrastructure could no longer be maintained (Neato). The Verge reported on October 24, 2025 that the robots now work only in manual mode, about two years after that five-year promise, and that Vorwerk considered open-sourcing parts of the software but called it “not feasible at this point” (The Verge).

Lesson: a support promise from a company that has already closed is only as good as its parent’s budget. If you are gifting a robot vacuum, see our robot vacuum guide and check that the brand is still actively selling and updating its app.

Nest Learning Thermostat (1st and 2nd gen): still a thermostat, no longer “smart”

Google’s support page says first-generation (2011) and second-generation (2012, and the 2014 European version) Nest Learning Thermostats stopped working in the Google Nest and Google Home apps on October 25, 2025. They were unpaired from the apps, lost remote control, notifications, third-party assistants, Home/Away Assist and multi-device Eco control, and will get no more software or security updates. Nest Protect smoke alarms also disconnect from them, so emergency shut-off no longer runs. On the device itself, owners can still change temperature and modes and keep their schedules. Google offered eligible U.S. and Canadian owners a discounted fourth-generation Nest (Google).

Lesson: the best outcome in this list. The hardware kept doing its core job locally. Prefer gadgets that still work without the app.

Humane AI Pin: a device that lasted under a year

The AI Pin launched in April 2024. On February 18, 2025, Humane said it was selling most of the company to HP for $116 million and would stop selling the Pin. Pins stopped connecting to Humane’s servers at 3 PM ET on February 28, 2025, ending calling, messaging, AI answers and cloud access, with only offline features like battery level left. Refunds were limited to Pins within 90 days of their original shipment date, and had to be requested by February 27, 2025 (The Verge).

Lesson: a first-generation gadget from a startup whose core features all live in the cloud is the highest-risk gift on this list.

Spotify Car Thing: bricked, with a short refund window

Spotify announced in May 2024 that the already-discontinued Car Thing would shut down in December. On December 9, 2024, the devices began showing a final message: “Car Thing is discontinued and no longer operational.” Owners had until January 14, 2025 to contact Spotify with proof of purchase about a refund (The Verge).

Lesson: a gadget that exists to serve one company’s app lives and dies with that company’s interest in the product.

Amazon Halo: even a giant pulls the plug

Amazon announced on April 26, 2023 that it would stop supporting Halo on July 31, 2023. From August 1, 2023, Halo View, Halo Band, Halo Rise and the Halo app no longer functioned, and remaining Halo health data was deleted. Amazon refunded device purchases made in the prior 12 months and unused prepaid subscriptions (Amazon).

Lesson: brand size is not a guarantee. A product line can be cancelled even when the company is fine.

iRobot Roomba: bankruptcy without a shutdown (so far)

On December 14, 2025, iRobot said it had started a pre-packaged Chapter 11 process in Delaware so that Picea, its main contract manufacturer and secured lender, could acquire it. The company said it expected no disruption to app functionality, customer programs or product support (iRobot). iRobot’s “Here to stay” page says it plans to keep supporting current products, including customer service, software updates where applicable and warranty coverage, with no planned changes to app functionality or data security (iRobot).

Lesson: a bankruptcy headline is not the same as a shutdown. Watch what the company actually does with the app.

The pattern: what the dead gadgets had in common

Core features lived in the cloud. Car Thing, Halo and the AI Pin did little or nothing without the maker’s servers. The Nest and Neato kept a useful offline mode.
One app, one company. None of the dead gadgets could be moved to another service when the maker walked away.
Refund windows were short or partial. Humane: 90 days from shipment. Halo: purchases in the past 12 months. Car Thing: about five weeks after the shutdown.
Shutdown notices came with weeks, not years, of warning. Humane gave 10 days. Halo gave about three months.

A 5-question checklist before you gift a smart gadget

Does it still do its main job with no app and no internet? A thermostat you can turn by hand or a robot vacuum with a start button ages better than a gadget that is only a cloud client.
Is the company still selling and updating this product line? Look for recent app updates and a current model, not a clearance listing for a discontinued line.
Is there a subscription? Subscriptions can be cancelled along with the product. Halo’s was.
Is this a first-generation product from a young company? That was the AI Pin’s profile.
Can they return it? Gift receipts and return windows matter more for a smart gadget than for a sweater.

Smart-ish gifts that pass the checklist

Our guides favor products whose core job does not depend on a single app staying alive:

Best robot vacuums and Black Friday robot vacuum deals — check app support before you buy
Best e-readers — downloaded books stay readable offline
Best digital photo frames — check whether the frame needs an account and an app to load photos
Best Bluetooth speakers — Bluetooth works without the maker’s cloud
Gifts for someone who has everything

FAQ

What smart gadgets have stopped working?

Examples include the Spotify Car Thing (Dec 9, 2024), the Humane AI Pin (Feb 28, 2025), Amazon Halo devices (Aug 1, 2023), first- and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats in the Google apps (Oct 25, 2025), and the Neato robot vacuum app (phased out from Oct 2025).

Do Neato robot vacuums still work?

Yes, in manual mode. Neato’s Oct 6, 2025 notice says you can press the button for a full-house run, and warranty commitments remain. App control and scheduling through the cloud are gone.

Will Roombas stop working after the iRobot bankruptcy?

iRobot says no change is planned. Its Dec 14, 2025 announcement and “Here to stay” page say app functionality, support, warranties and applicable updates continue under Picea’s ownership.

Did owners get refunds?

Partly. Amazon refunded Halo purchases from the prior 12 months. Humane refunded Pins within 90 days of shipment. Spotify asked Car Thing owners to request refunds by Jan 14, 2025. Google offered a discounted new Nest.

How do I avoid gifting a gadget that gets bricked?

Prefer devices that still do their main job without an app, from companies actively updating the product, and keep the gift receipt.

Sources

Changelog

Nov 9, 2026: First published from company notices (Neato, Google, Amazon, iRobot) and The Verge’s reporting.