Warning about fancy thermostat getting UNSUPORTED , FAST

[Bill Dufour]

I have a sensi thermostat about 5-7 years old. I guess they just updated the wifi operating system and I can no longer control it with my phone. My phone android system is to old.
So no way to change the program. Lucky the program is okay heat on at. 5:30 am off around 7:00. and on a few hours around 6:00. No longer have remote control to turn the heat or ac on right before we get home.
Really not as good as a 30 year old clock thermostat would be.
I am not going to rush out and buy a new phone every few years to make it work. I could get a free phone upgrade from verizon. But free costs an extra $20 A MONTH!
BILL D

[Alan Rutherford]

"Old" cell phones that are newer than the phones you and I use are everywhere and really inexpensive. You don't need cell phone service to control a thermostat or for that matter to do anything you want involving the internet. It sounds like all you need is a newer version of Android and to download an app. Look around or ask your favorite younger person and see if you can't find a phone you can designate as the remote for your thermostat. You might have to pay a little something once, but it won't be monthly.

[Myk Rian]

Go to the Play store and look for an update for the app.

[Jim Becker]

The issue isn't the thermostat. The company is clearly supporting it with their app. The issue is that their app now requires a more current version of the mobile OS...that's a normal thing because the tools that companies use to build apps have to use the available application interfaces built into the mobile device operating system. (the same is true for applications that run on Windows, MacOS, Linux, etc...) The thermostat manufacturer pretty much has no choice in the availability to the application programming interfaces and it's not reasonable for them to maintain multiple versions of their software (if that was even possible) so they can support older devices. Your version of Android doesn't support the current APIs required for some current generation applications. Nature of the beast.

[Lee Schierer]

Carrier just did the same thing to my smart thermostat. The product came with an app called "My Infinity". The app screens looked and worked just looked the thermostat screens and had pretty much the same features. The thermostat works fine, but they decided that the original app (My Infinity) was too hard to operate for someone??? They came out with a new app called, Carrier Home, that has fewer features but is easy to operate...all it lets you do is change the temperature or mode!!! It worked on my android phone and android tablet. Then a week or so back, they updated the Carrier Home app and it will no longer run on my android Tablet. They haven't added any functionality, yet, but I can't use my tablet any more. I contacted the software group responsible and they told me they are working on new features and that is why they made the change. I can still use my phone and eventually they will add back some of the features they eliminated when they changed from My Infinity to Carrier Home and yes at some undetermined date down the road they will once again make it so it will run on a tablet running Android.

Fortunately the My Infinity app continues to work on both my phone and tablet and has all the features that I would ever want.

[Ron Citerone]

The issue isn't the thermostat. The company is clearly supporting it with their app. The issue is that their app now requires a more current version of the mobile OS...that's a normal thing because the tools that companies use to build apps have to use the available application interfaces built into the mobile device operating system. (the same is true for applications that run on Windows, MacOS, Linux, etc...) The thermostat manufacturer pretty much has no choice in the availability to the application programming interfaces and it's not reasonable for them to maintain multiple versions of their software (if that was even possible) so they can support older devices. Your version of Android doesn't support the current APIs required for some current generation applications. Nature of the beast.

Jim sometimes you scare me with you knowledge!

[Jack Frederick]

I feel your pain. I feel like I’m on a billiards table. In billiards there are no pockets as opposed to a pool table. The pool table offers some refuge in the pockets. I’m like Joe Pesci’s comment in Good Fellas, Bing, Bang, Boom as I careen around the table with no hope of figuring these things out. Tech service has a ball at break time. “Yeah, I had this guy this morning…” He is in hysterics and cannot even describe our conversation. It is good to offer a level of entertainment but holy smokes!

[Bill Dufour]

A little more research shows the new app is hated by most users. too many small buttons hard to figure out. Not easy to use unless you are sitting down, not driving etc. no new abilities just more confusing interface. I hope they throw out all the dated executives every five years for the new improved models.
Bill D.
PS this is the one being pushed by Hoe Despot!

[Karl Loeblein]

… Not easy to use unless you are sitting down, not driving etc…. !

Some apps don’t need to be easy to use while driving. Just not something that I would knock a thermostat app for.

[Jim Becker]

I sure wouldn't want to be a app developer for this kind of thing because the audience is so broad...from folks who can be happy with (and only comprehend) on/off through folks who want total, granular control. I'll be up front that I wish the app for my mini split in the shop had a bit more detail including diagnostics, even though I rarely make a change to anything. I also lament the fact that I have to have multiple apps for all the "smart" things I own and they are all different. Somehow I don't think that's going to change anytime soon...

[Bill George]

All I have ever used has been Honeywell, and the last one (WiFi Vision Pro 8000) my son gave to me because he wanted color! Its WiFi and uses an app called 72 Deg and its wonderful, zero complaints. PS List price on these is $289.

[Bill Dufour]

I belive Sensi was an independent company then recently emmerson bought it and updated the app so it is not compatible with older phones.
Bill D

[Brian Elfert]

I doubt Emerson is purposely making changes to not support old phones. It is more likely that when they update the app to take advantage of newer phones that support goes away for older phones. Emerson is not in the phone business (So far as I know.) so Emerson doesn't benefit if you have to buy a new phone.

[John K Jordan]

I want no smart devices. I don’t want a smart fridge, toaster, thermostat, door lock, nothing that needs an app on a “smart”phone. I do have a so-called smart watch, not actually very smart, which requires an phone app to set up and see the data. I want the watch only to monitor sleep and heart rate for health reasons. And to quickly see the time and date without digging the dang phone out of my pocket - sometimes difficult while out feeding horses with layers of insulated clothes.

However, as a previous software developer for scientific and technical applications (not “apps”) I hereby pronounce the phone app terrible, probably quickly created from a toybox full of routines by some kid clueless to the established principles of quality user interfaces. I think such pick and plug software development is responsible for most of the memory bloat and inefficiency seen in the last few decades.

The phone app for my previous fitness watch was better but I would still give it only 2 stars out of 5 for the same reason. All this makes me wonder if true software development wizards are a dying breed.

JKJ

[Mike Henderson]

However, as a previous software developer for scientific and technical applications (not “apps”) I hereby pronounce the phone app terrible, probably quickly created from a toybox full of routines by some kid clueless to the established principles of quality user interfaces. I think such pick and plug software development is responsible for most of the memory bloat and inefficiency seen in the last few decades.

The phone app for my previous fitness watch was better but I would still give it only 2 stars out of 5 for the same reason. All this makes me wonder if true software development wizards are a dying breed.

JKJ

I certainly agree with you, but I'm amazed at how quickly some apps (and other software) is produced. Back when I was doing some of this stuff, we had to jump through hoops to reduce CPU and memory usage. These days, the software people essentially have a "tool box' and fit pieces together without any concern for CPU and memory usage.

But they can produce an app very quickly. They get it out and modify it as they get feedback. I think that's a good approach given how fast things move today. Older languages, such as C, would take too long to get a product out.

Mike