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Wikipedia

Wink (platform)

January 01, 1970

Wink is an American brand of software and hardware products that connects with and controls smart home devices from a consolidated user interface. Wink, Labs Inc., which develops and markets Wink, was founded in 2014 as a spin-off from invention incubator Quirky. After Quirky went through bankruptcy proceedings, it sold Wink to Flex in 2015. As of 2016, the Wink software is connected to 1.3 million devices. In July 2017, Flex sold Wink to i.am+ for $59 million.[1]

Wink
Original author(s)Quirky (2014-2015)
Flex (2015-2017)
i.am+ (2017-present)
Developer(s)Wink, Inc.
Initial releaseJune 23, 2014; 9 years ago (2014-06-23)
Operating systemiOS
Android
watchOS (Apple Watch)
Android Wear
Available inEnglish
TypeHome automation
Websitewink.com

Corporate history edit

Wink, Labs Inc. was founded at Quirky, an incubator program for inventions that relies on crowd-sourced product ideas. Wink, Labs was originally created as part of a collaboration with General Electric to control co-branded smart home products like air-conditioners.[2][3][4] It was founded by current CTO Nathan Smith[5] and received about $20 million in funding.[6] The company spent twelve months working with fifteen electronics manufacturing companies to offer about 60 Wink-compatible products by July 2014.[2] Wink was spun-off from Quirky in June 2014.[2][7]

According to Quirky, Wink products were in 300,000 homes by 2015.[8] In April 2015 Wink experienced a security problem that made many of its smart home hubs go offline or break, forcing the company to issue a recall. The recall caused a several-month inventory backlog and subsequent shortage of the Wink hub.[9][10] Due to financial difficulties, due in part to the recall, Quirky began looking for buyers to sell Wink to in 2015. That November, after Quirky went through bankruptcy proceedings, it sold Wink for $15 million to Flextronics (now called Flex), to whom Quirky owed $18.7 million. Flex was Wink's primary supplier of firmware and hardware.[11][12][13] As of 2016, 1.3 million devices were connected to Wink.[14]

On July 27, 2017, in its First Quarter Report, Flex announced[15] that it had sold its interest in Wink for $59 million, representing a $38.7 million gain on the balance sheet. Although the Report described the purchaser as "an unrelated third-party venture backed company", stories circulated in the technology press identifying the purchaser as i.am+,[16] the technology firm founded by the performer Will.i.am.

On May 6, 2020, Wink announced that they would be updating their platform from being free from monthly fees to charging a monthly service fee in order to continue using the Wink app, hub and devices.[17] Users were notified that they had until May 13, 2020, after which Wink devices would be inaccessible from the app, and all voice control, API and automations would be disabled. The deadline for subscriptions was delayed, eventually taking effect in July 2020.[18]

On January 25, 2021, Wink suffered a wide spread outage.[19] Remote control and cloud automation features were broken. Some users reported a complete and total outage including local control of their smarthubs, contrary to the company's public statements.[20] The outage persisted for nine days.[21] Wink resumed operation on February 3, 2021, posting on their blog that customers would receive a 25% discount on January and February's monthly dues. No cause for the incident was provided.[22]

Products edit

 
Homescreen of the Wink app for iPhone.

Wink connects with third-party smart home devices associated with the Internet of Things, such as thermostats, door locks, ceiling fans, and Wi-Fi-enabled lights, to provide a single user interface on a mobile app[23] or via a wall-mounted screen, called Relay.[23][24][25] This allows the user to remotely control those devices. The mobile app is free, while consumers pay for a Wink Hub, or Wink Relay, which connects with smart devices in the home.[26] The hubs integrate with competing software standards used by different manufacturers.[5][11] Wink integrates with software from automated home device brands, such as Canary, which markets an app-controlled home system.[5][27] In February 2016, new features were introduced to allow Wink to operate on the local network, in case a user's internet connection is down.[28] In June 2016, compatibility with Uber, Fitbit, and IFTTT, was added to the Relay product.[29] A second generation version of the Wink Hub was released in November 2016.[30] Compatibility with Uber has long been abandoned as of January 2021; as has the Wink Relay and sales of its standalone Wink Hub.[31]

The second generation Wink Hub supports most smart home devices with Zigbee, ZWave, Lutron Clear Connect, and Kidde protocols. Wink 2 also added Bluetooth Low Energy, 5 GHz Wi-Fi radio, an Ethernet port, and 512MB of memory.[32]

In October 2017, the Wink Lookout home security system was announced, consisting of open/close sensors, motion sensors, a siren, and the Wink hub.[33] The Wink Lookout, released on October 31, 2017, was the last major product released by the company as of January 2021.[34]

Reception edit

In a 2014 competitive review comparing Wink to SmartThings, CNET said Wink was cheaper and supported more wireless standards, but had fewer and less reliable sensors to support automation. The article recommended SmartThings for tech-savvy users and Wink for general consumers.[26] In an August 2014 review, CNET gave Wink a 7.7 score out of 10. It complimented the product for being close to the "ideal" whole-home security and automation service, but lamented that it wasn't "a perfect replacement for some of the more sophisticated standalone smart home device apps."[35] A January 2015 review of Wink by Tom's Guide rated the product a 7/10, "very good". The reviewer criticized the application for not giving as much control over individual smart home electronics as their own apps, but praised Wink for providing "an easy way for people to dip their toes into smart home systems."[36]

A review in PCMAG of the Wink Hub 2 said it was easy to use and compatible with many devices, but had no battery backup or USB ports.[32] Under "Bottom Line" the review said, "Works with virtually every wireless protocol out there and supports dual-band Wi-Fi. Installation and device pairing is quick and easy."[32] It gave the Hub 2 4.5 out of 5 stars and named it its new Editors' Choice for home automation hubs.[32] In contrast, CNET gave the device three stars. The reviewer said the device is easy to set up and compatible with many devices, but gave the reviewer error messages.[37] The reviewer was never able to successfully set it up the way she wanted.[37] Tom's Guide gave the Wink Hub 2 7 out of 10.[38] It also said the device was easy to use and compatible with many devices, but missing some advanced features. Tom's Guide said it was good for "basic" smart homes.[38]

References edit

  1. ^ Lunden, Ingrid (27 July 2017). "i.am+ buys Wink, the smart home hub formerly owned by Flex and Quirky". TechCrunch. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Lohr, Steve (June 22, 2014). "Quirky to Create a Smart-Home Products Company" (Newspaper article). The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  3. ^ Popper, Ben (April 24, 2015). "How the Invention Factory at Quirky Almost Imagined Its Way Out of Business" (Web magazine article). The Verge. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  4. ^ Rhodes, Margaret (September 25, 2014). "Wink Could Be the Next Big Platform for the Smart Home" (Magazine article). Wired. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  5. ^ a b c Ruth, João-Pierre S. (February 10, 2016). "Founder Nathan Smith on What Comes Next for Wink, Smart Homes, and IoT" (Web news article). Xconomy. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  6. ^ Higginbotham, Stacey (July 15, 2015). "Quirky's CEO: Quirky is Out of Money and Needs to Find Funds for Itself and Wink" (Magazine article). Fortune. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  7. ^ Kelly, Samantha Murphy (June 23, 2014). "Quirky, Mophie Founder Launches Wink for Smart Home Automation" (Web magazine article). Mashable. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  8. ^ Higginbotham, Stacey (July 15, 2015). "Quirky's CEO: Quirky is out of money and needs to find funds for itself and Wink". Fortune. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  9. ^ Primack, Dan (June 12, 2015). "Exclusive: Quirky Ditches Device Manufacturing, Preps for New Investment" (Magazine article). Fortune. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  10. ^ Lawler, Richard (April 19, 2015). "Wink Smart Home Hubs Knocked Out by Security Certificate (Update)" (Web magazine article). Engadget. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  11. ^ a b Kastrenakes, Jacob (April 1, 2016). "Wink opens up about surviving the fall of Quirky" (Web magazine article). The Verge. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  12. ^ Palenchar, Joseph (November 16, 2015). "Wink Gets a Nod from Flex" (Magazine article). Twice. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  13. ^ Lohr, Steve (September 22, 2015). "Quirky, an Invention Start-Up, Files for Bankruptcy" (Newspaper article). The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  14. ^ Kastrenakes, Jacob (April 1, 2016). "Wink opens up about surviving the fall of Quirky". The Verge. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  15. ^ Brotherton, Renee (July 27, 2017). . Flextronics. Archived from the original (Web news article) on 2017-08-02. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  16. ^ Lunden, Ingrid (July 27, 2017). "i.am+ buys Wink, the smart home hub formerly owned by Flex and Quirky" (Web news article). Flextronics. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  17. ^ Peters, Jay (2020-05-06). "Smart home platform Wink will require a monthly subscription starting next week". The Verge. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  18. ^ "Update On The Upcoming Wink Subscription". Wink Blog. July 8, 2020. from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  19. ^ "Wink's home automation service has been down for a whole day". Engadget. 26 January 2021. from the original on 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  20. ^ "Wink users head for the exits following a week-long outage". TechHive. 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  21. ^ Humphries, Matthew (2021-02-01). "Wink's Smart Home Automation Has Been Broken for 8 Days". PCMag UK. from the original on 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  22. ^ "A Message Regarding the Recent Outage". Wink Blog. February 3, 2021. from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  23. ^ a b Nield, David (September 22, 2015). "Quirky Files For Bankruptcy, Selling Wink To Flextronics" (Web magazine article). ReadWrite. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  24. ^ Popper, Ben (September 23, 2014). "How One Tiny Startup is Winning the Race to Power Your Smart Home" (Web magazine article). The Verge. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  25. ^ O'Connell, Ainsley (July 8, 2014). "Wink Squares Off Against Nest In The Battle For "Home" Field Advantage" (Magazine article). Fast Company. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  26. ^ a b Crist, Ry (November 12, 2014). "Smart-home showdown: SmartThings vs. Wink". CNET. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  27. ^ Higginbotham, Stacey (October 27, 2015). "Bankrupt Wink Keeps Adding Partners" (Magazine article). Fortune. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  28. ^ Oswald, Ed (February 10, 2016). "Wink turns on local control for connected light switches, bulbs". TechHive. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  29. ^ Crist, Ry (June 28, 2016). "The Wink Relay smart switch adds support for Uber, Fitbit and IFTTT". CNET. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  30. ^ Heater, Brian (27 September 2016). "Wink's smart home hub gets some key upgrades for its second generation". TechCrunch. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  31. ^ "Wink Hub Amazon Listing". www.amazon.com. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  32. ^ a b c d Delaney, John (October 20, 2016). "Wink Hub 2". PC Magazine. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  33. ^ Hardwick, Tim (25 October 2017). "$199 Wink Lookout Home Security Pack Bundles All-Wink Products for the First Time". Mac Rumors. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  34. ^ Wroclawski, Daniel (May 7, 2020). "Wink Tells Users: Pay Up or We'll Disable Your Smart Home Hub". Consumer Reports. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  35. ^ Wollerton, Megan (August 20, 2014). "Wink Hub Review: Harness Your Smart Home with Wink's Low-Cost Hub" (Website product review). CNET. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  36. ^ Murphy, David (January 27, 2015). "Quirky Wink Hub Review" (Website product review). Tom's Guide. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  37. ^ a b Wollerton, Megan (October 19, 2016). "Take 2: Wink's new smart-home Hub sticks to the script". CNET. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  38. ^ a b "Wink Hub 2 Review: Good for Basic Smart Homes". Tom's Guide. December 8, 2016. Retrieved January 12, 2017.

External links edit

January 01, 1970
wink, platform, wink, american, brand, software, hardware, products, that, connects, with, controls, smart, home, devices, from, consolidated, user, interface, wink, labs, which, develops, markets, wink, founded, 2014, spin, from, invention, incubator, quirky,. Wink is an American brand of software and hardware products that connects with and controls smart home devices from a consolidated user interface Wink Labs Inc which develops and markets Wink was founded in 2014 as a spin off from invention incubator Quirky After Quirky went through bankruptcy proceedings it sold Wink to Flex in 2015 As of 2016 the Wink software is connected to 1 3 million devices In July 2017 Flex sold Wink to i am for 59 million 1 WinkOriginal author s Quirky 2014 2015 Flex 2015 2017 i am 2017 present Developer s Wink Inc Initial releaseJune 23 2014 9 years ago 2014 06 23 Operating systemiOSAndroidwatchOS Apple Watch Android WearAvailable inEnglishTypeHome automationWebsitewink wbr com Contents 1 Corporate history 2 Products 3 Reception 4 References 5 External linksCorporate history editWink Labs Inc was founded at Quirky an incubator program for inventions that relies on crowd sourced product ideas Wink Labs was originally created as part of a collaboration with General Electric to control co branded smart home products like air conditioners 2 3 4 It was founded by current CTO Nathan Smith 5 and received about 20 million in funding 6 The company spent twelve months working with fifteen electronics manufacturing companies to offer about 60 Wink compatible products by July 2014 2 Wink was spun off from Quirky in June 2014 2 7 According to Quirky Wink products were in 300 000 homes by 2015 8 In April 2015 Wink experienced a security problem that made many of its smart home hubs go offline or break forcing the company to issue a recall The recall caused a several month inventory backlog and subsequent shortage of the Wink hub 9 10 Due to financial difficulties due in part to the recall Quirky began looking for buyers to sell Wink to in 2015 That November after Quirky went through bankruptcy proceedings it sold Wink for 15 million to Flextronics now called Flex to whom Quirky owed 18 7 million Flex was Wink s primary supplier of firmware and hardware 11 12 13 As of 2016 1 3 million devices were connected to Wink 14 On July 27 2017 in its First Quarter Report Flex announced 15 that it had sold its interest in Wink for 59 million representing a 38 7 million gain on the balance sheet Although the Report described the purchaser as an unrelated third party venture backed company stories circulated in the technology press identifying the purchaser as i am 16 the technology firm founded by the performer Will i am On May 6 2020 Wink announced that they would be updating their platform from being free from monthly fees to charging a monthly service fee in order to continue using the Wink app hub and devices 17 Users were notified that they had until May 13 2020 after which Wink devices would be inaccessible from the app and all voice control API and automations would be disabled The deadline for subscriptions was delayed eventually taking effect in July 2020 18 On January 25 2021 Wink suffered a wide spread outage 19 Remote control and cloud automation features were broken Some users reported a complete and total outage including local control of their smarthubs contrary to the company s public statements 20 The outage persisted for nine days 21 Wink resumed operation on February 3 2021 posting on their blog that customers would receive a 25 discount on January and February s monthly dues No cause for the incident was provided 22 Products edit nbsp Homescreen of the Wink app for iPhone Wink connects with third party smart home devices associated with the Internet of Things such as thermostats door locks ceiling fans and Wi Fi enabled lights to provide a single user interface on a mobile app 23 or via a wall mounted screen called Relay 23 24 25 This allows the user to remotely control those devices The mobile app is free while consumers pay for a Wink Hub or Wink Relay which connects with smart devices in the home 26 The hubs integrate with competing software standards used by different manufacturers 5 11 Wink integrates with software from automated home device brands such as Canary which markets an app controlled home system 5 27 In February 2016 new features were introduced to allow Wink to operate on the local network in case a user s internet connection is down 28 In June 2016 compatibility with Uber Fitbit and IFTTT was added to the Relay product 29 A second generation version of the Wink Hub was released in November 2016 30 Compatibility with Uber has long been abandoned as of January 2021 as has the Wink Relay and sales of its standalone Wink Hub 31 The second generation Wink Hub supports most smart home devices with Zigbee ZWave Lutron Clear Connect and Kidde protocols Wink 2 also added Bluetooth Low Energy 5 GHz Wi Fi radio an Ethernet port and 512MB of memory 32 In October 2017 the Wink Lookout home security system was announced consisting of open close sensors motion sensors a siren and the Wink hub 33 The Wink Lookout released on October 31 2017 was the last major product released by the company as of January 2021 34 Reception editIn a 2014 competitive review comparing Wink to SmartThings CNET said Wink was cheaper and supported more wireless standards but had fewer and less reliable sensors to support automation The article recommended SmartThings for tech savvy users and Wink for general consumers 26 In an August 2014 review CNET gave Wink a 7 7 score out of 10 It complimented the product for being close to the ideal whole home security and automation service but lamented that it wasn t a perfect replacement for some of the more sophisticated standalone smart home device apps 35 A January 2015 review of Wink by Tom s Guide rated the product a 7 10 very good The reviewer criticized the application for not giving as much control over individual smart home electronics as their own apps but praised Wink for providing an easy way for people to dip their toes into smart home systems 36 A review in PCMAG of the Wink Hub 2 said it was easy to use and compatible with many devices but had no battery backup or USB ports 32 Under Bottom Line the review said Works with virtually every wireless protocol out there and supports dual band Wi Fi Installation and device pairing is quick and easy 32 It gave the Hub 2 4 5 out of 5 stars and named it its new Editors Choice for home automation hubs 32 In contrast CNET gave the device three stars The reviewer said the device is easy to set up and compatible with many devices but gave the reviewer error messages 37 The reviewer was never able to successfully set it up the way she wanted 37 Tom s Guide gave the Wink Hub 2 7 out of 10 38 It also said the device was easy to use and compatible with many devices but missing some advanced features Tom s Guide said it was good for basic smart homes 38 References edit Lunden Ingrid 27 July 2017 i am buys Wink the smart home hub formerly owned by Flex and Quirky TechCrunch Retrieved 4 August 2017 a b c Lohr Steve June 22 2014 Quirky to Create a Smart Home Products Company Newspaper article The New York Times Retrieved 2016 05 18 Popper Ben April 24 2015 How the Invention Factory at Quirky Almost Imagined Its Way Out of Business Web magazine article The Verge Retrieved 2016 05 18 Rhodes Margaret September 25 2014 Wink Could Be the Next Big Platform for the Smart Home Magazine article Wired Retrieved 2016 05 18 a b c Ruth Joao Pierre S February 10 2016 Founder Nathan Smith on What Comes Next for Wink Smart Homes and IoT Web news article Xconomy Retrieved 2016 05 18 Higginbotham Stacey July 15 2015 Quirky s CEO Quirky is Out of Money and Needs to Find Funds for Itself and Wink Magazine article Fortune Retrieved 2016 05 18 Kelly Samantha Murphy June 23 2014 Quirky Mophie Founder Launches Wink for Smart Home Automation Web magazine article Mashable Retrieved 2016 05 18 Higginbotham Stacey July 15 2015 Quirky s CEO Quirky is out of money and needs to find funds for itself and Wink Fortune Retrieved May 25 2016 Primack Dan June 12 2015 Exclusive Quirky Ditches Device Manufacturing Preps for New Investment Magazine article Fortune Retrieved 2016 05 18 Lawler Richard April 19 2015 Wink Smart Home Hubs Knocked Out by Security Certificate Update Web magazine article Engadget Retrieved 2016 05 18 a b Kastrenakes Jacob April 1 2016 Wink opens up about surviving the fall of Quirky Web magazine article The Verge Retrieved 2016 05 18 Palenchar Joseph November 16 2015 Wink Gets a Nod from Flex Magazine article Twice Retrieved 2016 05 18 Lohr Steve September 22 2015 Quirky an Invention Start Up Files for Bankruptcy Newspaper article The New York Times Retrieved 2016 05 18 Kastrenakes Jacob April 1 2016 Wink opens up about surviving the fall of Quirky The Verge Retrieved July 28 2016 Brotherton Renee July 27 2017 Flex Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2018 Results Flextronics Archived from the original Web news article on 2017 08 02 Retrieved 2017 08 02 Lunden Ingrid July 27 2017 i am buys Wink the smart home hub formerly owned by Flex and Quirky Web news article Flextronics Retrieved 2017 08 02 Peters Jay 2020 05 06 Smart home platform Wink will require a monthly subscription starting next week The Verge Retrieved 2020 05 12 Update On The Upcoming Wink Subscription Wink Blog July 8 2020 Archived from the original on November 10 2020 Retrieved February 4 2021 Wink s home automation service has been down for a whole day Engadget 26 January 2021 Archived from the original on 2021 01 27 Retrieved 2021 02 01 Wink users head for the exits following a week long outage TechHive 2021 02 01 Retrieved 2021 02 04 Humphries Matthew 2021 02 01 Wink s Smart Home Automation Has Been Broken for 8 Days PCMag UK Archived from the original on 2021 02 01 Retrieved 2021 02 04 A Message Regarding the Recent Outage Wink Blog February 3 2021 Archived from the original on February 4 2021 Retrieved February 4 2021 a b Nield David September 22 2015 Quirky Files For Bankruptcy Selling Wink To Flextronics Web magazine article ReadWrite Retrieved 2016 05 18 Popper Ben September 23 2014 How One Tiny Startup is Winning the Race to Power Your Smart Home Web magazine article The Verge Retrieved 2016 05 18 O Connell Ainsley July 8 2014 Wink Squares Off Against Nest In The Battle For Home Field Advantage Magazine article Fast Company Retrieved 2016 05 18 a b Crist Ry November 12 2014 Smart home showdown SmartThings vs Wink CNET Retrieved May 25 2016 Higginbotham Stacey October 27 2015 Bankrupt Wink Keeps Adding Partners Magazine article Fortune Retrieved 2016 05 18 Oswald Ed February 10 2016 Wink turns on local control for connected light switches bulbs TechHive Retrieved May 25 2016 Crist Ry June 28 2016 The Wink Relay smart switch adds support for Uber Fitbit and IFTTT CNET Retrieved July 28 2016 Heater Brian 27 September 2016 Wink s smart home hub gets some key upgrades for its second generation TechCrunch Retrieved 27 September 2016 Wink Hub Amazon Listing www amazon com Retrieved 2021 02 04 a b c d Delaney John October 20 2016 Wink Hub 2 PC Magazine Retrieved January 12 2017 Hardwick Tim 25 October 2017 199 Wink Lookout Home Security Pack Bundles All Wink Products for the First Time Mac Rumors Retrieved 17 November 2017 Wroclawski Daniel May 7 2020 Wink Tells Users Pay Up or We ll Disable Your Smart Home Hub Consumer Reports Retrieved May 10 2020 Wollerton Megan August 20 2014 Wink Hub Review Harness Your Smart Home with Wink s Low Cost Hub Website product review CNET Retrieved 2016 05 18 Murphy David January 27 2015 Quirky Wink Hub Review Website product review Tom s Guide Retrieved 2016 05 18 a b Wollerton Megan October 19 2016 Take 2 Wink s new smart home Hub sticks to the script CNET Retrieved January 12 2017 a b Wink Hub 2 Review Good for Basic Smart Homes Tom s Guide December 8 2016 Retrieved January 12 2017 External links editOfficial website Wink on the App Store Wink on Google Play Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wink platform amp oldid 1207136376, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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