Bill > SB898

This bill requires manufacturers of "connected consumer products"—physical products that rely on an internet connection to function, like smart home devices—to clearly disclose a minimum guaranteed support timeframe, which must be at least five years from when the product is first sold. Manufacturers are prohibited from shortening this support period and must notify owners six months before and on the date a product reaches its "end of life," meaning when the manufacturer stops providing necessary updates or support. Businesses that lease or provide these products as part of a service must ensure updates are applied and, at the product's end of life, replace it with a comparable, supported product at no extra cost to the customer if one is reasonably available. Violating these provisions will be considered a deceptive business practice under California's Unfair Competition Law (UCL), which prohibits unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business activities.