Happiest Baby paywalls previously free SNOO features behind a subscription
On July 15, 2024, Happiest Baby moved several previously free features of its $1,695 SNOO Smart Sleeper bassinet behind a $19.99-per-month SNOO Premium subscription, so that a family who buys the device secondhand must pay a recurring fee to use functions the original owner received for free.[1][2] In September 2024, Consumer Reports & U.S. PIRG named the SNOO in a letter asking the Federal Trade Commission to curb what they called software tethering, the use of software to limit a device after it is sold.[3]
Background
[edit | edit source]The SNOO Smart Sleeper is a Wi-Fi-connected robotic bassinet made by Happiest Baby that rocks an infant & plays white noise, & responds to crying with more motion & sound; many of its settings are controlled through the Happiest Baby smartphone app.[1] A new SNOO sells for $1,695 direct from the company, a certified preowned unit for $1,195, & the device rents for $159 per month.[1] The resale market is a common way to buy a SNOO for less.[1]
The subscription
[edit | edit source]Announced in June 2024 & effective July 15, 2024, Happiest Baby began charging a $19.99-per-month SNOO Premium subscription for app features that had previously been free to every user.[1][2] The paywalled settings include the weaning mode, which eases a baby off the bassinet's motion toward a crib; Level Lock, which holds the SNOO at one motion level; the daily sleep log & reports; the responsiveness & motion-start settings; Car Ride Mode; & control of more than one SNOO from a single account.[2] The basic app stays free, covering starting & stopping the bassinet, adjusting the volume, a motion limiter that caps the rocking, alerts, real-time status, & manual tracking.[2]
Access to the premium features depends on how & when a family obtained the bassinet:[1]
| How the SNOO was obtained | Premium access |
|---|---|
| Bought new from Happiest Baby or an authorized partner before July 15, 2024 | Free[1] |
| Bought from Happiest Baby or an authorized partner after July 15, 2024 | Free for nine months[1][4] |
| Rented from Happiest Baby | Free for the rental plus one month[1][2] |
| Bought secondhand or borrowed | $19.99 per month[1][2] |
Company rationale
[edit | edit source]Happiest Baby attributed the change to the cost of supporting resold units. Its announcement said that over eight years many SNOOs had been resold & had changed hands up to 10 times, & that tens of thousands of secondhand users had contacted the company for help.[4] CEO Harvey Karp told The Verge that the subscription let the company provide the same level of care to people who bought a SNOO through the resale market, & that it needed to be able to adjust our business structure.[1]
Reaction
[edit | edit source]The change infuriated many SNOO owners.[1] One told The Verge she was surprised that features advertised as coming with the Snoo were being paywalled, comparing the move to a mechanic intentionally breaking your car just so they can sell you the repair.[1] Another buyer, who found a SNOO on Facebook Marketplace, said he might not have bought it had he known about the fee.[1]
On September 5, 2024, Consumer Reports & U.S. PIRG, joined by 15 other groups, sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking for clear rules against software that limits how a device works after a consumer has bought it, & cited the SNOO as an example.[3] The letter said Happiest Baby had limited consumers' ability to resell their product by putting advertised features behind the subscription for anyone who bought the bassinet secondhand.[3]
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Peters, Jay (2024-07-20). "This $1,695 smart bassinet's best features are now behind a premium subscription". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2026-01-15. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Consumer Reports, U.S. PIRG, and 15 other groups call on FTC to create clear guidance for 'software tethering'". Consumer Reports Advocacy. 2024-09-05. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Our Expanded Happiest Baby App Is Here: New Features & New Subscription". Happiest Baby. Archived from the original on 2024-07-18. Retrieved 2026-08-23.