Josh Hendrickson
Just over a year ago, Logitech launched the Harmony Express universal remote system. The company promised it would simplify universal remote setup, and bring voice control to your entertainment and smart home. Now, Logitech will discontinue the Harmony Express on September 30, 2020. After that point, all Harmony Express units will stop working. The good news? Logitech has a free replacement for you.
The Harmony Express wasn’t a bad system, but it wasn’t great either. Logitech succeeded in creating a universal remote system that controlled all things in your house that’s still easy to set up. But the Harmony Express relied heavily on Alexa for control and expected you to give up all other control of your entertainment system.
If anyone in your family doesn’t like talking to their TV, they could unintentionally wreck the experience for everyone else, as the Harmony Express couldn’t handle when another remote switched sources. That, and presumably low sales, seems to have led to its downfall. In am email sent to users today, Logitech Explained:
In 2019, Logitech launched the Harmony Express remote. With Alexa Built-In, Harmony Express aimed to replace the complexity of the touch screens and programmable buttons found on other Harmony remotes with a simple voice interface.
Unfortunately, our expectations were not met for this kind of Harmony remote, and as a result we’ve decided to focus our efforts on our core user experience: powerful universal remote control in a world with many devices connected to the TV. To that end, we will be discontinuing Harmony Express on September 30, 2020, after which Harmony Express units in the field will no longer operate.
As a valued customer, we want to minimize any inconvenience to you. Starting today, Harmony Express owners can have their unit replaced with a Harmony Elite, completely free of charge. Harmony Elite is our flagship experience featuring a powerful programmable controller for AV and smart home control that works with other Amazon Alexa devices to enable voice control. Alternatively, Harmony Express owners can request a full refund of their purchase price, which is subject to proof of purchase requirements.
The Harmony Express app and your Harmony Express Remote will remain operational through September 30, 2020, after which time the service and remote will stop working. Harmony Express owners will receive direct notifications and reminders via email between now and then.
We value your business and are committed to getting you your replacement or refund as quickly as possible. Thank you again for your continued support.
The email includes instructions for the process of getting a replacement Harmony Elite. To the company’s credit, the Harmony Elite is the top-tier choice and is $100 more than the Express. It isn’t as easy to set up and doesn’t include Alexa built into the unit. But that latter point might be a benefit in the end.
