Horrifying warning issued to millions of TV and washing machine owners

TV and washing machine owners have been warned that their pricey appliances are at increased risk of being hacked in as little as two years.

Expensive smart options may not work as long as you’d expect because important updates are stopped, experts claim.

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Lack of support means hackers could take advantage to meddle with your hard-earned goods.

Smart features on modern appliances let you do things like control wash cycles with your smartphone or with your voice via Alexa.

Consumer champion Which? approached 119 brands to find out about support periods for their smart device products.

But only half responded.

Researchers say LG dishwashers could lose support just two years after launch despite the estimated lifetime of dishwashers being 13 years. 

The firm’s smart TVs and washing machines similarly only have guaranteed support for just two years after launch.

Yet the estimated lifetime for TVs and washing machines is almost seven years and 11 years respectively. 

LG told Which? that its TVs might get up to five years of support for critical security vulnerabilities.

Which? also found that Sony only offers guaranteed support of its smart TVs for two years from launch, while for Samsung’s smart TVs it is three years.

Elsewhere, HP guarantees support for its smart printers for just three years, even though the estimated lifetime for inkjet printers is 13 years.

Which? said they did not get a response from big-name brands, including AEG, Apple, Epson, Hoover and Whirlpool.

But some companies like Hisense and Miele pledged support for 10 years, showing devices don’t have to be given up on so soon.

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: “It’s unfair for manufacturers to sell expensive products that should last for many years and then abandon them.

“This means the product could lose the features that justified the hefty price tag and potentially create a security risk or add to the electrical waste mountain if it has to be replaced.

“Manufacturers must up their game and provide vital tech updates for their smart products for longer, otherwise the government should consider further intervention in this area, including specifying a minimum number of years that these products have to be supported for.”

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