Nanoleaf is retiring the product that made it into a household name. Starting today, you can no longer purchase Rhythm Light Panels starter kits from the company’s website. In a video it uploaded to YouTube, Nanoleaf said it now considers the device as a legacy product. It notes it will continue to support Light Panels within its mobile app “forever,” or “a very, very, very long time.”
In practice, that means you can continue to use the tiles in conjunction with Nanoleaf’s group feature, allowing you to sync them with its current and future lights. A Nanoleaf spokesperson told Engadget the company won’t update the device with new features, but it does have future firmware updates planned. “Technology is always advancing and we want to be able to offer the best we can but because Light Panels have older technology (created before Thread) they will not be able to support Thread,” they said.
Should you need replacement parts for your tiles, Nanoleaf will offer those until the end of 2023. If you want to expand your current setup, the company has discounted expansion packs by 30 percent and accessories by 50 percent while supplies last. As you might imagine, not everyone is happy about the news.
“This is a mistake,” says one of the comments on the video the company released. “All Nanoleaf needed to do was release an updated controller that supports Thread to help the connection issues.” In both the video and on its website, Nanoleaf says part of the reason it’s retiring the Light Panels is that it feels it found a suitable successor in its new Shapes line.
Update 4:22PM ET: Added more information from Nanoleaf.
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