Logitech has announced here that it’s looking to “divest” itself of its harmony remote control division after disappointing 3rd quarter fiscal results. In case you haven’t looked at Logitech’s Harmony web site recently, there are only three models being shown on a page that used to have nearly a dozen options.
I’ve been a loyal Harmony user for many years. I’ve had various IR models and a few years ago purchased the Harmony 900 RF model. What I’ve always loved about the Harmony remotes is that they allowed enthusiasts and competent DIYers with the ability to program remotes without needing to go to custom installers and pay high labor rates for something you could do yourself.
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| The Harmony 1100 is a slick universal remote with a large touch screen that is intuitive and easy to use. After Logitech’s announcement, will these be the last Harmony remotes we’ll ever see? |
Recently, with the explosion of the iPhone and iPad and Android it’s been clear that the wave of the future in remote control technology will be an app on one of those devices. No longer do you need expensive proprietary hardware. Instead, just fire up your app!
I think that Harmony missed the boat with this disruptive technology shift in such a short period of time over the past two years or so. I tried the Harmony Link and was disappointed with it overall (I’ll be blogging about my experience with the Logitech Link soon) and there wasn’t anything on the horizon to take that necessary leap. Unfortunately, the Harmony Link was discontinued just a few months ago and that was likely an omen of things to come.
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| The Harmony Link was supposed to take advantage of the new trend in using your iPhone or iPad as a remote control. Unfortunately, the implementation left a lot to be desired. |
Whatever becomes of the Harmony division, I can only say thank you. Overall, the remotes have performed well and they have allowed me to control lots of components easily and with the flexibility I’ve wanted. Now, it looks like the new breed of Roomie Remote and iRule apps are going to fill in the void that Harmony will be leaving.
