Whistle pet tracker shutdown IoT fail: Difference between revisions
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Tractive CEO Michael Hurnaus characterized the acquisition as enabling the company to ''"deliver new features and improvements faster, more reliably, and with greater impact for all users—including former Whistle customers."''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tractive-acquires-whistle-mars-petcare-110000346.html|title=Tractive Acquires Whistle from Mars Petcare to Accelerate Leadership in Global Pet Tech Market|publisher=Yahoo Finance|date=2025-07-28|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> | Tractive CEO Michael Hurnaus characterized the acquisition as enabling the company to ''"deliver new features and improvements faster, more reliably, and with greater impact for all users—including former Whistle customers."''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tractive-acquires-whistle-mars-petcare-110000346.html|title=Tractive Acquires Whistle from Mars Petcare to Accelerate Leadership in Global Pet Tech Market|publisher=Yahoo Finance|date=2025-07-28|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> | ||
== | ==Consumer impact== | ||
Both Whistle & Tractive devices require active subscriptions to function. The subscription fees cover cellular data costs necessary for GPS tracking.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Whistle-100-00500-00-GPS-Pet-Tracker/dp/B015DV0O9C|title=Whistle GPS Pet Tracker|publisher=Amazon|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://tractive.com/en/c/plans|title=Tractive GPS Tracker Plans|publisher=Tractive|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> Without an active subscription, neither device can perform location tracking or health monitoring functions. | Both Whistle & Tractive devices require active subscriptions to function. The subscription fees cover cellular data costs necessary for GPS tracking.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Whistle-100-00500-00-GPS-Pet-Tracker/dp/B015DV0O9C|title=Whistle GPS Pet Tracker|publisher=Amazon|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://tractive.com/en/c/plans|title=Tractive GPS Tracker Plans|publisher=Tractive|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> Without an active subscription, neither device can perform location tracking or health monitoring functions. | ||
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One user stated that the loss of behavioral monitoring features was "very handy, so to lose that sucks" when describing how they used the device to track their dog's seasonal allergies.<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=2025-07-29 |title=Whistle question : r/tractivegps |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/tractivegps/comments/1mbflhn/comment/n5lwr0u/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1 |access-date=2025-08-12 |publisher=reddit}}</ref> | One user stated that the loss of behavioral monitoring features was "very handy, so to lose that sucks" when describing how they used the device to track their dog's seasonal allergies.<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=2025-07-29 |title=Whistle question : r/tractivegps |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/tractivegps/comments/1mbflhn/comment/n5lwr0u/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1 |access-date=2025-08-12 |publisher=reddit}}</ref> | ||
[[File:Reddit user discussing whistle device bricking.png|thumb|Whistle user discussing device bricking on <ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/tractivegps/comments/1mbflhn/comment/n5lwr0u/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button}}</ref>]] | [[File:Reddit user discussing whistle device bricking.png|thumb|Whistle user discussing device bricking on Reddit <ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/tractivegps/comments/1mbflhn/comment/n5lwr0u/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button}}</ref>]] | ||
Technology publication Engadget noted that "''thousands of GPS trackers and monitors will morph into e-waste in about a month."''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/wearables/whistle-pet-trackers-are-shutting-down-next-month-212828325.html|title=Whistle pet trackers are shutting down next month|publisher=Engadget|date=2025-07-30|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> | Technology publication Engadget noted that "''thousands of GPS trackers and monitors will morph into e-waste in about a month."''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/wearables/whistle-pet-trackers-are-shutting-down-next-month-212828325.html|title=Whistle pet trackers are shutting down next month|publisher=Engadget|date=2025-07-30|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> | ||
== | ==Institutional response== | ||
The Whistle shutdown contributes to what the US PIRG Education Fund describes as an ''"Electronic Waste Graveyard"'' of over 100 tech products | The Whistle shutdown contributes to what the US PIRG Education Fund describes as an ''"Electronic Waste Graveyard"'' of over 100 tech products, which have stopped working after manufacturers dropped support.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pirg.org/edfund/resources/electronic-waste-graveyard/|title=Electronic Waste Graveyard|publisher=US PIRG Education Fund|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> The organization estimates that expired software and canceled cloud services have created ''"a minimum of 130 million pounds of electronic waste"'' since 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/07/acquisition-sends-thousands-of-whistle-pet-trackers-to-iot-graveyard/|title=Acquisition sends thousands of Whistle pet trackers to IoT graveyard|publisher=Ars Technica|date=2025-07-29|author=Scharon Harding|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> | ||
== See also == | |||
*Google's Nest bricking Revolv smart home hubs in 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/420413/why-nests-revolv-hubs-wont-be-the-last-iot-devices-knocked-offline.html|title=Why Nest's Revolv hubs won't be the last IoT devices knocked offline|publisher=PCWorld|date=2016-04-06|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> | *Google's Nest bricking Revolv smart home hubs in 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/420413/why-nests-revolv-hubs-wont-be-the-last-iot-devices-knocked-offline.html|title=Why Nest's Revolv hubs won't be the last IoT devices knocked offline|publisher=PCWorld|date=2016-04-06|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> | ||
*Wink's 2020 demand for mandatory subscriptions with one week notice<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.consumerreports.org/smart-home/wink-tells-users-pay-up-or-we-will-disable-smart-home-hub/|title=Wink Tells Users: Pay $5 a Month or We'll Disable Your Smart Home Hub|publisher=Consumer Reports|date=2020-05-06|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> | *Wink's 2020 demand for mandatory subscriptions with one week notice<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.consumerreports.org/smart-home/wink-tells-users-pay-up-or-we-will-disable-smart-home-hub/|title=Wink Tells Users: Pay $5 a Month or We'll Disable Your Smart Home Hub|publisher=Consumer Reports|date=2020-05-06|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref> | ||