At a minimum anything that is "cloud" should have a locally accessible API so you don't have to use the cloud to use the device AND if it does not and the manufacture decides to drop support or start charging for cloud (after promising they would not) then they should be required to make a local API available via firmware update. Archive: https://archive.today/bWGrw From the post: >>We’ve noted for years how you no longer really own the things you buy. Whether it’s smart home hardware that becomes useless paperweights when the manufacturer implodes, or post-purchase firmware updates that actively make your device less useful, you simply never know if the product you bought yesterday will be the same product tomorrow. Now a coalition of consumer groups, activists, and lawmakers are pushing the FTC to crack down on “smart” device manufacturers that suddenly pull support for products or make them less useful — either by simply removing features or hiding them behind annoying new subscription paywalls.