Fisker and SunPower Bankruptcies Leave Their App Users Hanging

With everything from coffee makers to garage door openers now connected to the internet, smartphone apps are the de facto remote control for modern life. So what happens when the companies behind the software go out of business?

That’s the dilemma faced by customers of EV maker Fisker Inc. and solar giant SunPower Corp., which filed for bankruptcy in June and August, respectively. Richmond, California-based SunPower has installed more than 500,000 residential solar systems over the past two decades, while Manhattan Beach, California-based Fisker delivered some 7,000 of its Ocean SUV before abruptly shuttering.

Software controls everything from the Ocean’s ...