Founded in 2014, Wink Labs, Inc. aimed to simplify the smart home experience by providing a hub and a mobile app that could connect with a wide range of smart devices across different communication protocols (like Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Wi-Fi). After facing financial difficulties and multiple ownership changes, the company controversially shifted to a mandatory paid subscription model in 2020 to maintain operations. Since then, the platform has been plagued by prolonged service outages, leading to widespread customer dissatisfaction and questions about its long-term viability.