This sucks. Why connect random ownable devices to your network, especially for the low low benefit of ... knowing when the clothes' drier is done ?!? Connected firmware updatable white goods allow appliance manufacturers to do even less QA because they can always fix it later, which wasn't possible before. If you're the paranoid who won't connect random crap to the net, this is bad news, as you'll get lower quality a…
I wouldn't be surprised if we get internet-only appliances soon, which charge customers on a pay-per-use basis. Considering the low margins on the average whitegoods, it could be an attractive business model to bundle the consumables with the hardware as part of a subscription/PAYG model. Or you could lockdown certain modes and temperatures behind a paywall. Similar how the car industry is already doing it.
Consumers need to outright reject these attempts by manufacturers. Is there risk that some appliances already put some sort of timer chip and stop working after some time? Kind of the HP inkjet business model?
We need some open source washer companies, I would pay a premium for an open source washing machine.