Skip to main content

Wink smart home hubs on the blink after update

wink smart home hubs experience 12 hour outage hub
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Over the weekend, some people got a peek at the downside of the connected home. The Wink Hub, a smart-home system designed to control everything from electrical devices to lighting, malfunctioned on April 18, causing headaches for customers. Throughout the outage, owners were not able to control any of their devices though the Wink app or schedule automated processes throughout their homes.

The device, which has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities, works with Apple and Android mobile devices to give homeowners control over appliances. Wink Hub can also communicate with Z-Wave and ZigBee devices, including light bulbs, door locks, and light dimmers.

The product retails for $50 on the Wink website, but since the outage, Wink Hub has become temporarily unavailable. To help customers, the company has posted instructions to recovery.wink.com for owners to recover their Hub on their own. However, the company notes that it may require some “technical” skill to do.

For this reason, Wink has established a replacement program that individuals can join to avoid the hassle. In addition, Wink intends to start selling the device again within one week, and customers who were affected can sign up to receive a $50 Wink gift card.

“We know it takes a lot to earn your trust and fully expect that we’ve lost a great deal of it over the last 24 hours,” Wink wrote on its website, shortly after the outage. “We hope to move quickly to regain your faith in our platform.”

It’s worth noting that throughout the outage, Wink Hubs were secure and never vulnerable. The primary cause of the outage was a security measure implemented when Wink first launched, according to the company. Thus far, several Wink Hubs have been recovered and reconnected, but Wink is accepting malfunctioning Hubs from customers who choose to return them.

Editors' Recommendations

Krystle Vermes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Krystle Vermes is a professional writer, blogger and podcaster with a background in both online and print journalism. Her…
Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam vs. Ring Stick Up Cam Pro: Which is better for your home?
The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam next to a smartphone.

The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam is one of the latest products from Ring. It allows users to control the camera remotely, giving them a simple way to see all corners of their home. It's also much more affordable than the existing Ring Stick Up Cam Pro, which offers plenty of cool features, but can't pan or tilt.

That makes it difficult to determine which is best for your home. Should you opt for the premium Stick Up Cam Pro, or is the Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam a better option due to its cheaper price tag? Here's a look at the two security cameras to help you decide.
Pricing and monthly fees

Read more
Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch picks up new features with the Z-Wave Smart Module
Several Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch models on a yellow background.

The Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch launched last year, bringing a fingerprint sensor to one of our favorite smart locks. Now, Yale is making the keypad even more enticing by offering a Z-Wave Smart Module with your purchase, which gives you additional smart functions and added connectivity.

The Z-Wave Smart Module is a piece of hardware that slots into the Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch so it can communicate with devices outside the Yale ecosystem. When installed, the module lets the Assure Lock 2 Touch sync with Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, Hey Google, and Siri. You can also sync the lock with various smart lights and security systems that support Z-Wave.

Read more
SimpliSafe is now using AI to prevent burglars from entering your home
A SimpliSafe outdoor camera monitoring a stranger.

SimpliSafe rolled out the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera in 2023, which coupled AI technology with live monitoring to better protect the inside of your home. The company is now looking to expand those features to outdoor cameras, with Live Guard Outdoor Protection rolling out to early access users before seeing a full-scale launch later this year.

Live Guard Outdoor Protection works much like the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera does, though it's been modified to work outside. When your system is armed, cameras equipped with Live Guard Outdoor Protection will use AI to identify threats on your property. If AI finds something suspicious, the event will be escalated to SimpliSafe's professional monitoring team, who can then intervene via two-way audio to let the intruder know they're being filmed. They can also trigger a siren or request police dispatch.

Read more