AppleInsider Staff
Logitech on Friday officially killed the Harmony universal remote, leaving Apple TV users with one less alternative to the bemoaned Siri Remote.
Confirming years of rumors that the Harmony line was on the rocks, Logitech unceremoniously axed the beloved universal remote lineup in a post to its support webpage.
Logitech says it will no longer manufacture Harmony remotes, but notes models that are currently up for sale in stores and online will remain available for purchase until stock is depleted.
"We expect no impact to our customers by this announcement. We plan to support our Harmony community and new Harmony customers, which includes access to our software and apps to set up and manage your remotes. We also plan to continue to update the platform and add devices to our Harmony database. Customer and warranty support will continue to be offered," Logitech says.
Harmony remotes have for nearly two decades been lauded for their ability to wrangle multiple devices in an ever-growing jungle of home entertainment products. Over the past few years, Logitech and its Harmony team did a commendable job in keeping up with the booming smart device trend, enabling control over both the living room and wider smart home.
TechHive reported on the discontinuation on Friday.
Logitech bought Harmony in 2004, less than three years after its debut. The company mulled a selloff of the division in 2013.
AppleInsider named Harmony one of the best alternatives to the Apple TV Siri Remote, noting the product line's compatibility with home entertainment hardware and smart home devices.
William Gallagher
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24 Comments
I have had elite remote for a few years.
Not perfect but does what I want.
I was very upset with Logitech telling me they would support 64 bit MacOS but they failed to deliver and consequently left with iOS interface to modify which is not as easy.
It would be good if they allowed third party generation and support of programmed devices to allow removal of quirks in how it manages these.
I have noticed how the prices have soared on 2nd market place for these remotes over the last few months.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what to purchase instead of a Harmony remote?
That's very unfortunate.
I've been a happy user since 2008, and have used several versions. In my main setup I've got 8 devices to control (TV, receiver, 3 consoles, Sonos, AppleTV, 4K bluray w/SACD), and a universal remote which can control all of this is essential.
It's not only about not needing to keep remotes for all of these next to the chair, it's also about setting the correct inputs on the TV and receiver. Sure, it will work for some time still - but eventually, it won't.