Neato cloud shutdown: Difference between revisions
Added Neato / Vorwerk Email section with body text from Neato Robot Blocked email, added additional detail to Consumer Response from email for clarity |
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|Description=In October 2025, Neato announced the closure of the cloud. Only manual mode can be used on branded robot vacuums with no local API access. | |Description=In October 2025, Neato announced the closure of the cloud. Only manual mode can be used on branded robot vacuums with no local API access. | ||
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Neato Robotics was a company founded in 2005.<ref name="TechCrunch">{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/01/neato-robotics-is-being-shut-down-after-18-years/|title=Neato Robotics is being shut down after 18 years|first=Brian|last=Heater|work=TechCrunch|date=2023-05-01|access-date=2025-10-25}}</ref> In 2017, the company was acquired by the German company Vorwerk Group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.therobotreport.com/vorwerk-acquires-autonomous-vacuum-maker-neato-robotics/|title=Vorwerk acquires autonomous vacuum maker Neato Robotics|date=2017-09-22|work=The Robot Report|first=Alex|last=Beall|access-date=2025-10-25}}</ref> | Neato Robotics was a company founded in 2005.<ref name="TechCrunch">{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/01/neato-robotics-is-being-shut-down-after-18-years/|title=Neato Robotics is being shut down after 18 years|first=Brian|last=Heater|work=TechCrunch|date=2023-05-01|access-date=2025-10-25 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251026182338/https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/01/neato-robotics-is-being-shut-down-after-18-years/ |archive-date=26 Oct 2025}}</ref> In 2017, the company was acquired by the German company Vorwerk Group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.therobotreport.com/vorwerk-acquires-autonomous-vacuum-maker-neato-robotics/|title=Vorwerk acquires autonomous vacuum maker Neato Robotics|date=2017-09-22|work=The Robot Report|first=Alex|last=Beall|access-date=2025-10-25 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251113051302/https://www.therobotreport.com/vorwerk-acquires-autonomous-vacuum-maker-neato-robotics/ |archive-date=13 Nov 2025}}</ref> | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
On April 27, 2023, Neato announced the discontinuation of their products due to the company not achieving "its self-defined economic goals for several years now".<ref name="TechCrunch" /> During the announcement, the company promised their required cloud services would be operational for 5 years, with Vorwerk spokesperson Stefan Watzinger saying "Vorwerk will use a 14-person team in Milan to 'ensure the security of the infrastructure of Neato’s cloud services for at least five years'", with spare parts being "guaranteed for at least five years".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.techhive.com/article/1803382/neato-robotics-is-shutting-down-robot-vacuums.html|title=Robot vacuum maker Neato Robotics is shutting down|first=Ben|last=Patterson|date=2023-04-28|work=Tech Hive|access-date=2025-10-25}}</ref> | On April 27, 2023, Neato announced the discontinuation of their products due to the company not achieving "its self-defined economic goals for several years now".<ref name="TechCrunch" /> During the announcement, the company promised their required cloud services would be operational for 5 years, with Vorwerk spokesperson Stefan Watzinger saying "Vorwerk will use a 14-person team in Milan to 'ensure the security of the infrastructure of Neato’s cloud services for at least five years'", with spare parts being "guaranteed for at least five years".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.techhive.com/article/1803382/neato-robotics-is-shutting-down-robot-vacuums.html|title=Robot vacuum maker Neato Robotics is shutting down|first=Ben|last=Patterson|date=2023-04-28|work=Tech Hive|access-date=2025-10-25 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251128205515/https://www.techhive.com/article/1803382/neato-robotics-is-shutting-down-robot-vacuums.html |archive-date=28 Nov 2025}}</ref> | ||
==Cloud shutdown== | ==Cloud shutdown== | ||
On October 6, 2025, an announcement was posted onto the Neato support page and emailed to customers announcing the closure of the Neato cloud services, despite the 5 year minimum promised in 2023.<ref name="TheVerge">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/news/806246/neato-robovac-cloud-shutdown|title=Neato’s cloud is shutting down, leaving its robovacs stuck in manual mode|work=TheVerge|first=Stevie|last=Bonifield|date=2025-10-24|access-date=2025-10-25}}</ref> As a result of the shutdown, all Neato devices can only operate in "manual mode", meaning schedules and specific room cleanings on the MyNeato app no longer work. Unofficial integrations such as with [[Home Assistant]] are affected by this shutdown due to the devices not allowing local network access.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://alerts.home-assistant.io/alerts/neato/|title=Neato cloud is about to be disabled|work=Home Assistant Alerts|date=2025-10-20|access-date=2025-10-25}}</ref> | On October 6, 2025, an announcement was posted onto the Neato support page and emailed to customers announcing the closure of the Neato cloud services, despite the 5 year minimum promised in 2023.<ref name="TheVerge">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/news/806246/neato-robovac-cloud-shutdown|title=Neato’s cloud is shutting down, leaving its robovacs stuck in manual mode|work=TheVerge|first=Stevie|last=Bonifield|date=2025-10-24|access-date=2025-10-25 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251111041535/https://www.theverge.com/news/806246/neato-robovac-cloud-shutdown |archive-date=11 Nov 2025}}</ref> As a result of the shutdown, all Neato devices can only operate in "manual mode", meaning schedules and specific room cleanings on the MyNeato app no longer work. Unofficial integrations such as with [[Home Assistant]] are affected by this shutdown due to the devices not allowing local network access.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://alerts.home-assistant.io/alerts/neato/|title=Neato cloud is about to be disabled|work=Home Assistant Alerts|date=2025-10-20|access-date=2025-10-25 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210180352/https://alerts.home-assistant.io/alerts/neato/ |archive-date=10 Feb 2026}}</ref> | ||
===Vorwerk's response=== | ===Vorwerk's response=== | ||
The reason given for the cloud shutdown was due to "cybersecurity standards, compliance obligations, and regulations have advanced in ways that make it no longer possible to safely and sustainably operate these legacy systems."<ref name="TheVerge" /> | The reason given for the cloud shutdown was due to "cybersecurity standards, compliance obligations, and regulations have advanced in ways that make it no longer possible to safely and sustainably operate these legacy systems."<ref name="TheVerge" /> | ||
=== Neato / Vorwerk Email - Your Robot Was Blocked === | ===Neato / Vorwerk Email - Your Robot Was Blocked=== | ||
Note:- Placeholders added for user and robotnames<blockquote>Dear <username>, | Note:- Placeholders added for user and robotnames<blockquote>Dear <username>, | ||
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'''What this means for you''' | '''What this means for you''' | ||
* Your Neato robot '''<robotname>''' cannot connect anymore in the app. | *Your Neato robot '''<robotname>''' cannot connect anymore in the app. | ||
* It will continue to function manually — simply press the button once to launch a full house run. | *It will continue to function manually — simply press the button once to launch a full house run. | ||
* Customer support and guidance remain available at neatorobotics.com. | *Customer support and guidance remain available at neatorobotics.com. | ||
This decision affects only Neato Robotics. Other Vorwerk products and services remain fully unaffected. | This decision affects only Neato Robotics. Other Vorwerk products and services remain fully unaffected. | ||
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==Consumer response== | ==Consumer response== | ||
Many users reported their Neato devices working, however one Neato owner on Reddit filed a section 75 claim with their credit card company for a refund.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/NeatoRobotics/comments/1o2tras/just_had_an_email_saying_the_severs_have_been/| | Many users reported their Neato devices working, however one Neato owner on Reddit filed a section 75 claim with their credit card company for a refund.<ref>{{Cite web |author=u/parkscon |date=2025-10-10 |title=Just had an email saying the severs have been shutdown. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/NeatoRobotics/comments/1o2tras/just_had_an_email_saying_the_severs_have_been/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260407031131/https://old.reddit.com/favicon.ico |archive-date=7 Apr 2026 |access-date=2025-10-25 |work=Reddit}}</ref> Other Neato users reported their routines still working after the announcement, with the OP saying, "should not be a petition. Should be a class action lawsuit" regarding an openPetition.<ref>{{Cite web |author=u/NursingHome773 |date=2025-10-19 |title=The routines still work |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/NeatoRobotics/comments/1ob4e1h/the_routines_still_work/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260407151927/https://old.reddit.com/r/NeatoRobotics/comments/1ob4e1h/the_routines_still_work/ |archive-date=7 Apr 2026 |access-date=2025-10-25 |work=Reddit}}</ref> | ||
From Neato's email to product owners:<blockquote>'''What this means for you''' | From Neato's email to product owners:<blockquote>'''What this means for you''' | ||
* Your Neato robot '''<robot name>''' cannot connect anymore in the app. | *Your Neato robot '''<robot name>''' cannot connect anymore in the app. | ||
* It will continue to function manually — simply press the button once to launch a full house run. | *It will continue to function manually — simply press the button once to launch a full house run. | ||
* Customer support and guidance remain available at neatorobotics.com. | *Customer support and guidance remain available at neatorobotics.com. | ||
This decision affects only Neato Robotics.</blockquote> | This decision affects only Neato Robotics.</blockquote> | ||
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[[Category:Neato]] | [[Category:Neato]] | ||
[[Category:Smart home device obsolescence]] | [[Category:Smart home device obsolescence]] | ||
[[Category:2025 incidents]] | |||