Smart home company Brilliant announced it had run out of money after failing to raise more capital in an attempt round of financing. .
Although smart home controllers and light switches continue to work for now, there is no guarantee that this will continue to do so for long given the lack of compatibility with HomeKit or Matter…
The Verge reports.
Brilliant, a manufacturer of smart home controllers and smart light switches, was left without money. CEO Aaron Emig confirmed in an exclusive interview with The Verge that the company has laid off most of its staff, closed its support center and no longer sells its products. However, the company maintains its servers, and existing devices continue to work in customers' homes.
But for how long exactly is a question Emig couldn't answer. “Indefinitely, I hope, but ultimately it's out of my hands,” he said, explaining that the company has entered an asset sale phase and is looking for a buyer.
If the company's servers go down , Brilliant light switches will continue to work, but you will not be able to edit existing scenes, create new ones, or add new devices.
This will be a serious blow. customers who paid high prices for devices that were sold as semi-pro kits, with each switch costing between $399 and $549.
Highlights the importance of HomeKit or Matter
Best comment from Mainframe
This company failed because they did not price their products appropriately. A $400-$600 product for controlling lights, fans and other smart home equipment. I won't lie, the product does seem good. But for that price I can buy and mount an iPad on the wall and do everything this product can do and more.
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This is not the first time that smart device owners have faced the possibility of their devices completely failing or losing significant functionality when the company faces financial difficulties.
We have already wrote about these risks after smart e-bike company VanMoof encountered a problem (thankfully resolved).
There is no perfect solution, as some features may be exclusive to the company's own app or require access to the company server. But only buying devices that are compatible with HomeKit or Matter will at least ensure that they can't be locked out if the company goes bankrupt. You'll always be able to use at least basic features, including editing and creating new scenes, through the Apple Home app.
Photo: Brilliant
