iDevices Socket -- Never Never Buy one yet.

I happened to get an iDevices Socket.

 

It is a smart Socket that works as an IoT terminal. Since it is a socket, it can be plugged into any socket around you but some. Since the body of the iDevices Socket is really wide, some sockets with narrow reflector (think about how an incandescent light bulb looks), the iDevices Socket cannnot get into such a small space. (I looked into the Socket and didn't find a specific reason why the product has to have such a wide bottom other than its own look somehow - I don't regard the look appealing in any sense though) But that is not my reason why you should not buy one yet.

 

The reason why I say 'yet' is, the concept of using light bulb socket is a good idea in US. (I cannot speak for anywhere else) If iDevices company listens and updates their software approaches, they can be successful. But until then, it is still 'yet'.

 

The reason why I say "never never buy one" is, the iDevices Socket never connects to my Android phone. Although my phone is not the greatest and latest iPhone that iDevices might like to see, my phone runs Android 13, which surpasses iDevices' Android limit (varies where in iDevices' website you look): 4.3 to 5.1. I guess I have enough safety margin regardless which version of the limit you choose. But the Socket refuses to be discovered.

 

Once the Socket is powered, it blinks with Blue as is explained in their App. I can see iDevices Socket wifi SSID, which means the Socket is powered up and normally running, waiting to be discovered. I enabled Bluetooth as directed. I see numerous Bluetooth devices that I can connect to and some say I need to connect to those devices through an app. so guess one of them is this Socket. (But no Bluetooth ID that I can related to iDevices like they did with Wifi SSIDs) But.. the App claims "No Android Products Found". ? I am not looking for my phone that the App is running in my hand. I am asking the App to discover its own device that apparently has a live Wifi and a live Bluetooth within 1 foot distance. (Many IoT devices do not need Bluetooth and Wifi together. One is enough. Some also require NFC though)

 

When I looked around the web, I came by one site claiming that I need to update the firmware of the iDevices Socket (which I cannot locate any longer) and I need an Apple device (Mac or iOS or iPadOS) to do the firmware update to make it work with Android. Buena.

 

Guess I am done with this iDevices thingy at the moment. Bye Bye. Sayonara. Auf Wiedersehen. If you have an iPhone, you could have a better chance but no guarantee. If a company is this irresponsible, it is safe to assume that their products might as well, regardless if you own an iPhone or not..

 

If anyone from iDevices reads this: you can update your app for the firmware update, but asking to use only Apple devices to update the firmware is not the best business decision. Or if that became a business decision, your engineering is seriously wrong. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with Android as everyone else is doing it in Android unless your device is fundamentally wrong, which is the only conclusion to me at the moment.