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Airthings ASA app release: Difference between revisions

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Re-archived 3 citation(s) from archive.today to web.archive.org using CRWCitationBot
 
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{{Incomplete|Issue 1=Needs more references.|Issue 2=Phasing out offline functionality needs be improved and better cited.}}
{{IncidentCargo
{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Airthings
|Company=Airthings
|StartDate=2024-05-13
|StartDate=2024-05-21
|EndDate=2024-05-13
|EndDate=
|Status=Pending Resolution
|Status=Unresolved
|ProductLine=Wave Gen 1
|ProductLine=Airthings Gen 1
|Product=Wave Gen 1
|Product=
|ArticleType=Product
|ArticleType=Product
|Type=Privacy, Digital restrictions, Service Termination
|Type=Forced Migration
|Description=Airthings products collect user environment data and their new app uploads everything when the previous app allowed offline use despite dark patterns
|Description=
}}On May 21 2024, Airthings ASA sends a mail to all users stating their old app , now renamed to "Wave Gen 1", but previously "airthings" will be retired and asks users to use their new Airthings app instead insuring it will contain more features.
}}
 
[https://www.airthings.com/ Airthings] ASA sells air monitors and purifiers, which customers can pair with a mobile app in order to access the air measurements and various additional services.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 Nov 2025 |title=Helps you understand the air you breathe |url=https://www.airthings.com/app |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251209115418/https://www.airthings.com/app |archive-date=9 Dec 2025|access-date=24 Nov 2025 |website=Airthings}}</ref> On May 21, 2024, they sent an e-mail{{Citation needed}} to all users stating their old app will be retired, and asking users to use their new Airthings app instead.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=October 1, 2025 |title=FAQ: Retirement of the Wave Gen 1 app on October 1, 2025 |url=https://help.airthings.com/en/articles/11680546-faq-retirement-of-the-wave-gen-1-app-on-october-1-2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128155020/https://help.airthings.com/en/articles/11680546-faq-retirement-of-the-wave-gen-1-app-on-october-1-2025 |archive-date=28 Jan 2026|access-date=24 Nov 2025 |website=Airthings}}</ref> The old app, also named Airthings, was rebranded as Wave Gen 1. The new app does not allow users to use their devices in offline mode like the previous version, and measurements are automatically sent to Airthings' servers without warning.{{Citation needed}} The old app has now been retired.<ref name=":0" />
Unfortunately, their new app does not allow users to use their devices in offline mode like the previous version and all data is automatically sent to Airthings servers without warning.
 
Their previous app was last updated on may 29 2024. to reflect the name change


==Background==
==Background==
The company Airthings sells devices that collect and monitor users' rooms' air quality. The GEN 1 devices have bluetooth BLE capability that allow users to view a graph of all the devices' sensors ( CO2, particles, humidity, Radon, ...) and assign a room name like "kid's bedroom", "living room", "bathroom", etc . to distinguish between various devices.
Airthings devices can monitor the rooms' air quality. The Gen 1 devices have Bluetooth BLE capability that allow users to view a graph of all the devices' sensors (like CO2, humidity, and Radon) and assign a room name such as: "kid's bedroom", "living room", "bathroom", etc. to distinguish between various devices.{{Citation needed}}
 
Users had to log in initially to set up their account but once they logged in for the first time, they were able to view their devices collected data in real time even if they had no internet connection, ie: in offline mode thanks to the deivces using BLE.


==[Incident]==
Users first had to log in to set up their account, but once they logged in for the first time, they were able to view their device's collected data in real time when they had no internet connection, due to the devices using Bluetooth BLE.{{Citation needed}}
Airthings old app had the ability to view user data even if the phone was offline. The app connects to all devices and displays their status and data. A dark pattern "sync" button would both collect data from the devices using BLE AND send data to the could. By going offline, this could be prevented. Users would often use an offline secondary phone as the household monitor.


On May 21 2024, Airthings ASA alerts old app users by mail that their current app will not be publicly available in the future and they should move to the new app that does not allow collecting device data without being online as it uploads it at the same time to their servers before displaying it.
==Phasing out offline functionality==
The old Airthings app had the ability to view user data even if the phone was offline. The app connects to all devices and displays their status and data. A [[dark pattern]] "sync" button would both collect data from the devices using BLE ''and'' send data to the cloud. By going offline, this could be prevented. Users would often use an offline secondary phone as the household monitor.{{Citation needed}}


===[Company]'s response===
On May 21, 2024, Airthings ASA alerted old app users by e-mail that their current app will not be publicly available in the future and that they should move to the new app that does not allow collecting device data without being online as it uploads it at the same time to their servers before displaying it.{{Citation needed}}


When asked about offline features, support agents seemed ignorant or feigned ignorance that the Wave Gen 1 app allowed offline use of their device.
===Airthings' response===
==Lawsuit==
From their "FAQ: Retirement of the Wave Gen 1 app on October 1, 2025"<blockquote>
====Can I continue to use the old app?====
No, the old app will stop working (monitors will not sync) and it will not be possible to log in.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
====How do I switch to the new app?====
Simply download the Airthings app from your app store. Then log in with your existing credentials, and you’re good to go. All of your homes, devices and data history will be there. Make sure you use the correct email address to log in!<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>


===Workarounds===
Owners of Airthings Wave Gen 1 products can pair with open-source software called Home Assistant to still get their measurements while keeping all the internet traffic on the local network.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 Nov 2025 |title=Airthings |url=https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/airthings/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260118043845/https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/airthings/ |archive-date=18 Jan 2026|access-date=24 Nov 2025 |website=Home Assistant}}</ref>


==Consumer response==
==See also==


https://www.reddit.com/r/airthings/comments/1ca1qxu/airthings_will_no_longer_sync_to_wave_plus_wo/<nowiki/>https://www.reddit.com/r/airthings/comments/1i7bf5x/when_did_login_become_a_requirement/
*[[Forced app download]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Incidents]]
[[Category:Articles in need of citations]]
[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]
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