ComplaintsforSphero, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  01/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Sphero acquired LittleBits in 2019, and has since discontinued support for products which, prior to the acquisition, were working and useable. In this case, the Droid Inventor Kit. It would cost Sphero virtually nothing to add a legacy app download area to its site, with the caveat that future development will not be continuing, in order for LittleBits customers who have functioning equipment to continue to use said equipment.Sphero has made no attempt to rectify this oversight, and instead has merely suggested to the thousands of people who purchased such kits, as well as the children who have been engaged in the process of construction and coding by them, are simply out of luck.It is our position that acquisition of an entity whose equipment was fully functional prior to the acquisition, including all of the legacy materials which allow for the continuing function of that equipment, cannot allow for the unannounced termination of that function. The acquiring entity may not claim that because they (specifically) did not sell or support the item, their duty to support is completely abrogated; they assumed the acquired entity's responsibilities along with its assets.In short: we seek a support section on Sphero's website that will allow for the download of all legacy apps used by LittleBits products, in order that those products may serve into the future.

  Business response

  01/10/2022

  Certain littleBits assets were acquired by Sphero in late August 2019. Sphero did not acquire the actual company littleBits, just some assets and rehired some of the employees.

  Sphero acquired all of the littleBits patents, non-licensed trademarks and copyrights, non-licensed inventory, and some equipment.

  
  Sphero did not acquire the rights or the license agreement littleBits had with ******. As a matter of fact, littleBits was not authorized by ****** to sell or transfer those assets.

  The littleBits licensed apps stayed live all through 2020 until we received notification from the liquidation company that Sphero did not have rights to support these apps.

  We really wish we could continue supporting the littleBits ****** and Marvel licensed apps, but we are strictly forbidden and never actually had those rights in the first place. I wish my answer was different, but it is not. Sphero will never have access to the Droid Inventor or Hero Inventor apps ever again nor were we allowed to post the source code on Git or any other repo.

  Customer response

  01/10/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  

  I appreciate Sphero's prompt response to this issue and find their explanation - while not thrilling - to be reasonable and an unfortunate circumstance of arcane licensing rules.  We are spectacularly frustrated, but now understand the legal restrictions that prevent the resolution that we would have preferred.

  If I may make a small suggestion, however - please expend whatever effort is necessary to ensure that the unsupported products are de-listed from major online sellers, in any form.  Our kid is pretty crestfallen, and others may become so if these things are still circulating.  

  Thank you for the reply.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

   

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/20/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought a BB8 several years ago and was just holding on to it. I never opened it and I gave it to my nephew last week. I was totally embarrassed when we couldn't get it to work. I understand not supporting something, but the software should still be available to download. At this point it is a glorified paper weight and it is not what I paid for. I believe I should be refunded for the full $150 plus $9 Michigan sales tax as I was swindled.

  Business response

  12/21/2021

  Greetings,
  
  This product was discontinued in 2019 and is no longer available for sale. The associated apps are not available for download due to Sphero no longer having the appropriate license for the Star Wars brand. All authorized sellers of this product made it unavailable for sale on December 31, 2019.
  
  The item in question was purchased over three years ago and is outside of our one-year warranty policy, therefore, a refund cannot be given.
  
  We made an announcement on our website in early 2021 that the apps would be removed from the store on October 1, 2021 and that if a customer desired to download the app, it should be done before that date.

   

  Thank you

  ****

  Customer response

  12/22/2021

   
  Complaint: 16385098
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I paid for this and there should be some kind of app available to use.  I am out $150 and this is not right.  I will pursue legal action if I cannot get even a partial refund.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩