The Internet of bricks

It happens to me with a Sonos WiFi loudspeaker system. It's on a local WiFi network, but no Internet connection (don't ask why), and now, each time I start it it wants to check for upgrades, which it can't find, and then proceeds to be used in a degraded way. For example, it refuses to re-scan the local music library, so I'm stuck with the old playlists from when I installed the thing.

I also have the Sonos app on an android phone, which I duly updated in another location, and now the Sonos system refuses completely to function with the Android app, not even in degraded mode.

So this is not about the Internet or proprietary stuff, it's an american business practice. No need to say, I won't buy anything anymore from US companies, at least nothing that has "Internet" in it. These are completely useless requirements apart from blackmailing clients into perpetual payment.