Editing Futurehome Smarthub mandatory subscription fee

[[File:Futurehome Smarthub.jpg|thumb|Futurehome’s Smarthub (left) and example compatible devices]]

Futurehome ransomed customer devices after bankruptcy, forcing them to pay a subscription fee or face disabled core functionality. 

In 2025, Futurehome's new owners announced that '''existing customers would now have to pay an annual subscription to continue using their previously purchased smart-home hubs'''. After a bankruptcy and relaunch, Futurehome imposed an annual fee of 1,188 NOK (around $117 USD) for access to its app and cloud services, locking users out unless they subscribed.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= |date=2025-06-18 |title=FAQ Subscription - Futurehome |url=https://support.futurehome.no/hc/en-no/articles/28158944965277-FAQ-Subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/UBjdJ |archive-date=2025-07-13 |access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=Krever abonnement av kundene - Elektro24-7 |trans-title=Requires Subscription from Customers |url=https://www.elektro247.no/krever-abonnement-av-kundene.6722352-567787.html |access-date=2025-07-14 |language=no}}</ref>  

'''Customers who declined to pay lost access to the mobile app (even for local use)''', along with all automations and the hub's local API integrations, leaving only basic on-device (physical) control.

==Company info and background==
'''Futurehome''' AS is a Norwegian smart-home technology company founded in 2013, known for the ''Futurehome Smarthub'', a central gateway device that connects and controls IoT devices. The Smarthub and Futurehome's own product line ''(thermostats, smart plugs, relays, sensors, etc<ref>{{Cite web |title=Products - Futurehome |url=https://www.futurehome.io/en_no/products |access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>)'' allow users to automate lighting, heating, EV charging, and other home functions via a mobile app and cloud platform. 

The hub lets users pair Zigbee-, Z-Wave-, and Futurehome-branded devices and control them locally or remotely through a free mobile app and cloud service; it also exposes local APIs for third-party integrations such as Home Assistant. 

The '''Futurehome Smarthub'''<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Futurehome |url=https://www.futurehome.io/en_no/ |access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref> was '''originally sold as a one-time purchase.''' '''Prior to 2025, Futurehome operated on a one-time hardware purchase model''', with app and cloud services included at no extra cost.

Futurehome AS was declared bankrupt on 20 May 2025. The platform and its services were acquired in a 50-50 split by Sikom Connect AS and the former Futurehome owners. The business was relaunched under a new entity: '''FHSD Connect AS.'''<ref name=":0" />

==June 2025 subscription rollout==
After the bankruptcy & relaunch, ''any'' continued use now requires an annual subscription of 1,188 NOK (≈ $117). Households that decline are locked out of the application, automations, and the local API interface, leaving only manual, on-device control.<ref name=":0" />

Following the relaunch, FHSD Connect announced that a mandatory subscription would be required to continue using the Smarthub platform. The subscription requirement was activated on 26 June 2025, and both existing and new households were given a four-week trial period before charges apply.<ref name=":0" /> 

Customers who do not activate the subscription within that trial window face the following restrictions:<ref name=":0" />

*'''App access disabled:''' Users can't use the app remotely via cloud or on the local network.
*'''Automations and modes frozen:''' All user-defined automations, preset modes ''(Home/Away/Night, etc.)'', shortcuts, and energy management features stop working.
*'''Local API and MQTT disabled:''' The hub's developer interfaces remain active only for a short grace period after the trial, then are gradually shut off without an active subscription.
*'''Physical control only:''' Basic manual control of devices continues to work: the smart devices revert to ''"dumb"'' mode with no central coordination.
*'''Support limited:''' Access to customer support channels (chat and phone support) is reserved for paying subscribers.

These limitations were delivered via a firmware update to the hub's software, locking previously available features behind the paywall. One Futurehome software engineer, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the firmware was designed to enforce this lockout mechanism and compel users to subscribe. As of the changeover, the Futurehome system was reportedly installed in over '''38,000 Norwegian households''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Futurehome Norge |trans-title=The updated figure of 38,000 is listed only on the Norwegian version of the site |url=https://www.futurehome.io/no/ |access-date=2025-07-13 |language=no}}</ref> all of which had to choose between paying the new fees or losing most "smart" functionality.

As part of the ownership transition, FHSD Connect also shut down the official Futurehome user forum, stating they were ''"consolidating support channels"'', further limiting access to help resources for users who don't subscribe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Futurehome Forum |url=https://forum.futurehome.io |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250715103026/https://forum.futurehome.io/ |archive-date=2025-07-15 |access-date=2025-07-15}}</ref><gallery>
File:Futurehome Subscription App Info 1.PNG|Futurehome app home screen prompting the user to activate a subscription.
File:Futurehome Subscription App Info 2.PNG|Subscription-activation screen showing annual-payment terms; one link opens the subscription FAQ, the other opens a [https://us1.zonka.co/1pBYm3?language=en_US feedback form]
File:Futurehome subscription feedback form.jpg|Feedback form presented to users who decline the subscription ([https://us1.zonka.co/1pBYm3?language=en_US link])
</gallery>

==Futurehome's reply==
FHSD CEO Øyvind Fries justified the subscription model as necessary to ''"secure stable operation, fund product development, and provide high-quality support,"'' according to statements given to [[Tek.no]] and reiterated in the FAQ.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":13" /><ref name=":1" /> Fries explained that the subscription was introduced to ensure the '''long-term viability''' of the platform after bankruptcy: without new revenue, they could not guarantee stable operation of the cloud servers or continued updates to the product.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Rasende kunder opplever smarthjem-utpressing |trans-title=Furious customers experience smart home blackmail |url=https://www.tek.no/nyheter/nyhet/i/alMe04/rasende-kunder-opplever-smarthjem-utpressing |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Tek.no |language=no}}</ref> 

He stated that the annual fee would help fund ongoing development of new features and maintain a high level of support for customers.<ref name=":0" /> The company also emailed users saying the change would ultimately provide ''"better functionality, more security, and higher value in the solution you already have invested in",'' positioning the subscription as an improvement for the user base.<ref name=":13" />

==Consumer response==
The reaction from Futurehome’s user base was negative. Norwegian customers described the move as a betrayal, given that the original sale included full functionality with no indication that a subscription would be introduced later.

On [[Reddit]]'s r/norge, there is an active discussion thread filled with outrage, legal concerns, and comparisons to ransomware tactics.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Futurehome tvinger eksisterende kunder over til et abonnement, hva nå? : r/norge |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/norge/comments/1lek0p7/futurehome_tvinger_eksisterende_kunder_over_til/ |access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref><ref name=":2" />

One user, muffinmeistro, wrote:<blockquote>''I can't understand how what they're trying to do here is legal. I'd like to hear what u/thomasiversen thinks.''

''They're removing functionality locally in a hub (computer) that I've paid for with an update.''<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2025-06-18 |title=Futurehome is forcing existing customers to switch to a subscription, what now? : r/norge |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/norge/comments/1lek0p7/comment/myhs0sm/?tl=en |url-status= |access-date=2025-07-13}}</ref>

''(Translated from Norwegian)''</blockquote>Another user posted expressing concern for the pushing a subscription, as well as a poor user experience:<blockquote>''I want to spend my money somewhere else than paying over 1000 kroner a year for half-hearted functionality. What options do I have? I currently have lights and thermostats from Futurehome. Can these devices be used with Home Assistant?<ref>{{Cite web |last=MrGeniusL |date=2025-06-18 |title=Futurehome tvinger eksisterende kunder over til et abonnement, hva nå? |url=http://www.reddit.com/r/norge/comments/1lek0p7/futurehome_tvinger_eksisterende_kunder_over_til/ |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=r/norge |language=no}}</ref>''

''(Translated from Norwegian)''</blockquote>

==Questionable legality==
This issue drew attention to consumer protection laws. Norway is not an EU member but is part of the European Economic Area (EEA), which means EU consumer-protection directives (such as those barring unfair commercial practices) are incorporated into Norwegian law. Observers noted that retroactively charging a subscription for a product that was sold under a no-fee premise might violate these rules, though as of mid-2025 it remained unclear if any official action would be taken. Some users discussed the possibility of legal recourse or a class-action lawsuit in response to Futurehome's move.

==$5000 bounty to crack firmware==
16. July 2025, consumer rights advocate Louis Rossman announced that he would pay a 5000$ bounty to the one that made available a solution to restore the previous functions of the Futurehome products. In addition Rossman would hire a lawyer to defend the one that provided the solution, if they were taken to court.

In response to this, FHSD Connect AS CEO, Øyvind Fries, says that<blockquote>It is regrettable that we now have to spend time and resources on strengthening the security around a service in demand, rather than further developing functionality for the benefit of our customers. (Translated from norwegian)</blockquote>Fries says their focus is on reliable and user-friendly services, with the customers of former Futurehome in focus. They take the bounty seriously, and don't think it is the least bit funny.<blockquote>Although some perceive this as entertainment, it can have serious consequences for several thousand subscribers who use the service daily.

Unauthorized access to software is considered illegal hacking, and is punished according to Norwegian law. (Translated from norwegian)</blockquote>When asked by the journalists at Tek.no about what legal action FHDS Connect AS would take if someone were to trigger the bounty and the software therefore be broken, Fries said:<blockquote>Any offenses are followed up by the police, who have experience with this type of problem. (Translated from norwegian)</blockquote>

==Similarity to Wink==
In 2020, [[Wink]] suddenly introduced a $4.99 monthly fee for continued use of its previously free smart-home service, giving customers only a one-week ultimatum and warning that devices would stop working if they didn't pay.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wink smart hub users get one week's notice to pay up or lose access - Ars Technica |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/05/wink-smart-hub-users-get-one-weeks-notice-to-pay-up-or-lose-access/ |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Wink smart hub users get one week’s notice to pay up or lose access - Ars Technica}}</ref> That move led to a class-action lawsuit alleging deceptive business practices, breach of warranty, and even ''"trespass to chattels"'' on the grounds that Wink's remote deactivation scheme unlawfully interfered with consumers' owned property.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Greenwald Davidson Radbil PLLC {{!}} Greenwald Davidson Radbil PLLC files amended class action complaint against Wink Labs, Inc. over new monthly charge |url=https://www.gdrlawfirm.com/Wink-class-action |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313203733/https://www.gdrlawfirm.com/Wink-class-action |archive-date=2023-03-13 |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Greenwald Davidson Radbil PLLC {{!}} Greenwald Davidson Radbil PLLC files amended class action complaint against Wink Labs, Inc. over new monthly charge}}</ref> 

Futurehome's forced subscription draws parallels to the Wink case while demonstrating an industry pattern of undermining the '''[[right to own]]''' what one has bought. Critics argue that such practices erode consumers' sense of ownership, turning purchased devices into services that can be revoked or pay-walled at any time. .

==Impact on third-party integrations==
Beyond the immediate loss of app functionality, the subscription requirement '''disables all third-party integrations'''. Futurehome previously allowed integration with:

*[[Home Assistant]] via a custom MQTT bridge<ref>{{Cite web |title=runelangseid/hassio-futurehome2mqtt |url=https://github.com/runelangseid/hassio-futurehome2mqtt |access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>
*[[Homebridge]] via NPM plugin for Apple HomeKit<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=homebridge-futurehome - npm |url=https://www.npmjs.com/package/homebridge-futurehome |access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref> let Futurehome devices be controlled via Siri and the Apple Home app

These relied on the hub's local API and MQTT server. Once disabled, no data is sent or received, breaking compatibility with these platforms. Once the subscription enforcement kicked in, the hub stopped publishing or accepting local MQTT messages and the API shut down, breaking compatibility.

While some users may migrate to other smart home ecosystems using open protocols like Zigbee2MQTT<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zigbee2MQTT Supported Devices – Futurehome |url=https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io/supported-devices/#v=Futurehome |access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>, some Futurehome-branded devices (e.g., the HAN-Sensor and Futurehome Charge EV charger) may lose core features or become inaccessible due to lack of open community drivers.

==Inadequate subscription notice==
Futurehome does not prominently disclose the new subscription requirement in product listings or on its homepage, even as the change was rolled out. The company's official website and online store continued to list the Smarthub and related products with their one-time purchase price only, with no prominent notice about the required annual fee. 

The only mention of a subscription on the homepage was buried in fine print upon scrolling, and product pages ''(for devices like the HAN-Sensor or the Futurehome Mode Switch)'' contain no warning that the system requires ongoing payments. 

Similarly, the Futurehome app listings on the Apple App Store and Google Play made no reference to a subscription requirement, potentially misleading new customers into thinking the hub's functionality was included in the purchase price. 

<gallery mode="slideshow">
File:Subscription.jpg|The only mention of a subscription on [https://www.futurehome.io/en_no/ site homepage] is in fine print on the second scroll page.<ref name=":3" />
File:Homepage futurehome.jpg|Landing view of homepage with no subscription mention.
</gallery>

Further, product and app store pages list only hardware prices, creating the false impression of a one-time purchase.

<gallery>
File:Applefree.jpg|Apple App Store listing for Futurehome, no mention of required subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Futurehome on the App Store |url=https://apps.apple.com/tr/app/futurehome/id1470952171 |access-date=2025-07-13}}</ref>
File:Androidfree.jpg|Google Play listing for Futurehome app, no mention of subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Futurehome - Apps on Google Play |url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=no.futurehome.futurehome_app&hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1 |access-date=2025-07-13}}</ref>
File:Modusbryter nosub.jpg|Modusbryter page omits any disclosure of subscription lock-in.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Modusbryter (Black) - Futurehome |url=https://www.futurehome.io/en_no/shop/modeswitch-black#tab-description |access-date=2025-07-13}}</ref>
</gallery>

==Network hacking possibility==
<!-- This needs to be re-written in a neutral third-person POV. - Sojourna -->

First, find out the IP address of the FH device on the network. Since most IPv4 networks use RFC-1918 addresses on the inside of the network, let's say our example IP is 10.20.30.40/24. Once we have this, let's capture all the network traffic being sent to and from the device. If at all possible, create a SPAN/mirror port on the connected switch to include local (multicast and broadcast) traffic. If we can't, let's start at the firewall. Depending on the vendor (Check Point, Fortinet, Cisco, Palo Alto, whatever) the syntax will be unique but we want the capture to look like this:

''tcpdump -nn -vvv -e -s 0 -X -c 100000 -i eth0 host 10.20.30.40''

Assuming that `eth0` is our internal interface, this will capture all non-local traffic to and from the device. Now, if the traffic is not encrypted, we can read the payloads of what's being sent to/from the device which will also include the DNS requests so long as the DNS server is hosted externally. If it's internal, we want to run and gather logs on the DNS server to see what A/AAAA records are being requested by the FH device.

If the traffic is encrypted, this changes things as the firewall won't be able to decrypt the traffic. To bypass this issue, we'd use a tool such as Burp Suite (https://portswigger.net/burp) on our computer to intercept the traffic. This requires our computer to act as a routing device (likely with NAT to avoid ICMP Redirects) which is outside the scope of this blurb. So long as the FH device and service don't use Certificate Pinning and/or HSTS, the Burp device will be able to decrypt all the traffic.

At this point, we should now know:

#The DNS A/AAAA requests and responses that the FH device queries
#The Layer-3 protocols and Layer-4 ports in use by the device
#The commands sent back and forth between the FH device and the FH server
#The responses sent back and forth from item three, above

Armed with this, we will need to create a DNS server that has a local zone (db.rpz.local) for each DNS request by the FH device. These entries should point to (what will eventually become) our custom FH server. For this example, let's use 1.2.3.4 as the server IP. Now, any time the FH device wants to connect to the actual FH server and it's using our DNS server, it will connect to 1.2.3.4 (our custom server) instead.

We now have traffic being routed to our custom server at 1.2.3.4 at which point we need to create software to receive and properly answer the commands being sent to/from the FH device. While I don't know what those would look like, if they're simple commands (ex: temp_set_21 -> command_ok) the server-side could be something as simple as a BASH script wrapped up with NetCat, a python socket server or even a more robust C++ server.

Firmware isn't hacked: We've just created a new tool that the FH device ''happens'' to work with. :)

==See also==
[[Retroactively amended purchase]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Futurehome]]
[[Category:Smart home device obsolescence]]
[[Category:Forced subscription activation]]
[[Category:Consumer rights]]