The Wink Hub has been one of the most-liked options for smart homeowners. There’s just one problem: The company’s supply of products has been unavailable for several months. Digital Trends reached out to Wink to ask about its stock and ongoing support for its existing products, but the company has not responded.
Wink has a tumultuous history. The brand is the product of a partnership between startup company Quirky and electronics giant GE. When Quirky started to deal with some financial issues, Wink users suffered. At one point, the Wink Hub was unable to connect to the company’s servers and forced Quirky to recall the smart home devices. Quirky ended up going bankrupt in 2015 and sold off its assets to Flextronics, which then sold Wink to i.am Plus in 2017. i.am Plus, which is owned by entrepreneur and musician will.i.am, is a company primarily focused on wearable products but has kept Wink afloat as its own brand.
While the Wink brand has been kept alive by i.am Plus, the company’s products have adapted to the changing smartphone market. According to How-To Geek, Wink hasn’t announced a new product integration since September 2017. That’s a full year and a half without expanding the list of products it supports. Wink’s Hub has slowly become outdated and difficult to add the expanding number of smart home devices that have come to market in recent years.
While the Wink Hub has been stagnant in terms of products it supports, Wink’s stock of its own product has also been dwindling. The company’s website has listed most of its product as out of stock since November 2018, and attempts to purchase Wink devices from the company’s website returns a message of “temporarily unavailable.” Likewise, the product has been absent from third-party sellers including Amazon, Home Depot, and Walmart.
Wink hasn’t officially declared anything regarding its products. The company hasn’t announced that it is done selling the popular Hub, nor has it given any indication that the product will be back in stock soon. For current owners and those looking for a hub for their smart home, that is troubling.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.
Quick Recap: Life with twins and a pile of bottles