I've got some depressing news for you. That fancy gadget you spent way too much money on? It's probably on death row right now. My editor actually laughed when I pitched this story. "Everyone thinks their tech will last forever," she said. Spoiler alert: it won't.

Look, I'm as guilty as anyone. I've got a drawer full of obsolete chargers and a Nest thermostat that's about to become dumber than my toaster. Tech companies are pulling the plug on a bunch of products this year, and I've compiled a list of the biggest casualties.

Your Cozy Home Is About to Get a Lot Colder

Remember when Google bought Nest and we all thought, "Cool, now my house will basically run itself"? Yeah, about that...

Google is killing support for three Nest Thermostat models on October 25th. If you've got a first-gen Learning Thermostat (2011), second-gen (2012), or teh European second-gen (2014), they're about to become very expensive wall decorations.

What does "end of support" actually mean? Your fancy thermostat won't connect to the Nest or Google Home apps anymore. No remote control. No voice commands. Nothing. Just a round thing on your wall that you'll have to physically touch like it's 2010 or something.

I installed one of these in my parents' house back in 2013. Dad's response when I told him the news: "So I paid $250 for something that now does exactly what my old $30 thermostat did?" Sorry, Dad.

Stadia Controllers: From Gaming Joy to Expensive Paperweights

God. Remember Google Stadia? That streaming game service that was supposed to revolutionize gaming but instead lasted about as long as my commitment to Dry January?

The service itself died back in January 2023, but Google did offer a way to convert your $70 controller into a regular Bluetooth gamepad. Nice of them, right?

Well, that conversion tool disappears on December 31st. After that, your Stadia controller becomes what we in the tech industry call "an expensive brick." I've still got mine sitting in a drawer somewhere, unused since 2020. Guess I should probably deal with that...

Windows 10 Users Are Screwed (Sorry)

I spent $1,400 on a laptop in 2019 that came with Windows 10. It still works perfectly fine, but Microsoft has basically put it on a timer.

October 14, 2025. Mark it down. That's when Windows 10 officially becomes digital roadkill. No more updates, no technical support, and most importantly, no security patches.

What does this mean in real terms? Your computer becomes a hacker's playground. Every security vulnerability that's discovered after that date will remain wide open. Forever. It's like leaving your front door unlocked and posting your address online.

Listen. I'm not usually one to side with big tech forcing upgrades, but this is one time where you really should upgrade to Windows 11 or buy a new computer. Unless you enjoy identity theft, of course.

Pour One Out for LG Phones

Back in 2018, I bought an LG V30. Gorgeous screen, amazing camera, headphone jack (remember those?). I loved that phone.

Then LG decided to exit the smartphone business entirely in 2021. And now, on June 30th, they're shutting down their update servers completely.

After that date, your LG phone won't get any more Android updates. No new features, but more importantly, no security patches. Hackers love phones with known security holes. It's like leaving your digital front door wide open with a "Rob Me" sign.

LG's goodbye message was basically: "Thanks for the money, now please go buy something else." I'm paraphrasing, but not by much.

Skype Is Finally Being Put Out of Its Misery

Remember when "Skyping" was a verb? When it was the only way to video chat with your long-distance partner or your mom who couldn't figure out FaceTime?

Well, on May 5th, Microsoft is finally pulling the plug after nearly 22 years. That's like... ancient in tech years.

I met my wife on a blind date in 2014, and when she moved for work six months later, we Skyped every night for a year. Now we're married with kids, adn Skype is dying. Circle of life, I guess.

The app will stop working, but your account won't immediately vanish. You can sign into Microsoft Teams with it (yay?) or export your old chats if you're nostalgic.

Skype peaked at 660 million monthly users in 2010. By 2020, that number had crashed to 100 million. Zoom, FaceTime, and Messenger basically ate its lunch while Microsoft was busy... doing whatever Microsoft does.

Your iPhone 6S Is Now "Vintage" (Which Is Corporate-Speak for "Dead")

Apple has this cute little euphemism system for products they're abandoning. First they become "vintage" (after 5 years), then "obsolete" (after 7 years).

The iPhone 6S just got its "vintage" badge. I still remember standing in line for 4 hours to get one in 2015. Spent $749 plus tax. Felt like a fortune back then.

What does "vintage" actually mean? Apple can't guarantee repairs anymore because parts are limited. Even if you take it to an Apple Store, they might just shrug and suggest you buy a new phone.

But honestly, if you're still using an iPhone 6S in 2025, you've got bigger problems. That thing can't update past iOS 15, while everyone else is on iOS 18 or 19. You're missing years of security updates.

I know it's expensive to upgrade. Trust me, I do. But using an ancient iPhone is like keeping your social security number and bank password on a billboard in Times Square.

Time to let go.

The tech graveyard of 2025 is filling up fast. And while I'm as annoyed as anyone about perfectly good gadgets becoming useless, the security risks alone make it worth considering upgrades.

Or we could all just go back to rotary phones and manual thermostats. Sometimes I think my grandparents had the right idea.