Arlo's Security Cameras Will Keep Free Cloud Storage For Existing Customers After All (theverge.com) 21
Security camera company Arlo is reversing course on its controversial decision to apply a retroactive end-of-life policy to many of its popular home security cameras. The Verge reports: On Friday, Arlo CEO Matthew McRae posted a thread on Twitter, announcing that the company will not remove free storage of videos for existing customers and that it is extending the EOL dates for older cameras a further year to 2025. He also committed to sending security updates to these cameras until 2026. The end-of-life policy was due to go into effect January 1st, 2023, and removed a big selling point -- seven-day free cloud storage -- for many Arlo cams. McRae now says all users with the seven-day storage service will "continue to receive that service uninterrupted." But he did note that "any future migrations will be handled in a seamless manner," indicating there are changes coming still.
The thread did not provide details on specific models other than using the Arlo Pro 2 as an example of a camera that will now EOL in 2025 instead of 2024, as previously announced, with security updates continuing until 2026. There was also no update on the plans to remove other features, such as email notifications and E911 emergency calling, or whether "legacy video storage" will remain. The EOL policy applied to the following devices: Arlo Gen 3, Arlo Pro, Arlo Baby, Arlo Pro 2, Arlo Q, Arlo Q Plus, Arlo Lights, and Arlo Audio Doorbell.
The thread did not provide details on specific models other than using the Arlo Pro 2 as an example of a camera that will now EOL in 2025 instead of 2024, as previously announced, with security updates continuing until 2026. There was also no update on the plans to remove other features, such as email notifications and E911 emergency calling, or whether "legacy video storage" will remain. The EOL policy applied to the following devices: Arlo Gen 3, Arlo Pro, Arlo Baby, Arlo Pro 2, Arlo Q, Arlo Q Plus, Arlo Lights, and Arlo Audio Doorbell.
Don't depend on other peoples equipment (Score:2)
When you pay extra for a free lifetime service (Score:2)
you would expect the other party to keep their end of the bargain.
Arlo cameras are awesome.
It's one of those purchases which I still enjoy today.
But clearly paying extra for a free life-time subscription didn't last as long as I expected.
That free service was terminated unilaterally by Netgear sooner than I expected.
But you're absolutely right that it painfully shows not to depend on anybody's cloud.
Re: (Score:2)
But clearly paying extra for a free life-time subscription didn't last as long as I expected.
This is key: the EOL dates are not made clear at time of purchase.
Re: (Score:2)
"Lifetime" has a very clear meaning. As long as the camera still works, the subscription is in effect.
A lot of tech companies offer these lifetime subscriptions to get customers, and then come to regret it.
Re: (Score:2)
The Arlo base stations all have local storage capabilities - the benefit of the cloud storage is for ease of access anywhere, and for an off site store if the local equipment is stolen or becomes unavailable (ie is destroyed by arson etc).
Hello e-waste! (Score:1)
I can understand EOL dates for things like smartphones and tablets which end up lacking the appropriate hardware specifications to run progressively later versions of their operating systems, but a security camera has one job. Do they seriously expect you to buy all new cameras, climb your ass up onto a ladder, and swap them out because the company couldn't be arsed to come up with more sustainable business model besides "planned obsolescence = PROFIT!!1"?
At least when I had to replace one of my security c
Re:Hello e-waste! (Score:4, Interesting)
Free storage is a Ponzi scheme. They need a continuous stream of new sales to cover the costs of the older customers. Get rid of 'free' and the business model becomes sustainable.
Re: (Score:1)
Remember: If it's free, you are the product.
What's your point? (Score:2)
Netgear stuff is nice.
Arlo stuff is great.
Chinese manufacturing can be great (unless your company is called Toshiba and you don't do quality control management and have suppliers screwing you over with second rate components to steal a few pennies for every product).
So what's the point you're trying to make.
I'm already opensourcing it (Score:1)
My Arlo cameras deserve to connect to something better than someonelses cloud.
In 2025 we will be faced with the same problem that Arlo's definition of 'forever' has another meaning than indefinite.
Re: (Score:2)
My Arlo cameras deserve to connect to something better than someonelses cloud. In 2025 we will be faced with the same problem that Arlo's definition of 'forever' has another meaning than indefinite.
Same sort of confusion existed when cellular wireless companies offered UNLIMITED DATA.
The problem was how they defined unlimited compared to how their customers defined UNLIMITED.
Re: (Score:2)
My Arlo cameras deserve to connect to something better than someonelses cloud.
In 2025 we will be faced with the same problem that Arlo's definition of 'forever' has another meaning than indefinite.
Same sort of confusion existed when cellular wireless companies offered UNLIMITED DATA.
The problem was how they defined unlimited compared to how their customers defined UNLIMITED.
The sign says "All You Can Eat !!"
Yes, Sir, now you have to put down the fork and leave the restaurant. Because that's all you can eat. Get out!
Vote with your feet (Score:2)
There are other cameras that will allow you to consume local storage with HomeAssistant.
https://www.home-assistant.io/ [home-assistant.io]
https://www.makeuseof.com/how-... [makeuseof.com]
I haven't tried it with an Arlo cam yet.
Best,
Arlo's word is worthless, after all (Score:1)
Arlo has shown that they're not to be trusted. A company that sells you security and peace of mind just sold you out, and now they're trying to recover the good name they sold for a mess of pottage.
So long, Arlo, I switched the same week you made your announcement, and nobody I talk to will ever buy your products again. "We'll turn back on that thing we said you'd have forever but then we turned it off" doesn't inspire anything but disgust.
E
Huh? (Score:2)
Where else was this original notice of EOL dates posted?
I have Arlo cameras - I also have an Arlo subscription, and Arlo sends me emails to inform me that my price is going up, or that their terms and conditions are changing.
At no time did Arlo reach out to me and tell me that my devices were going end of life - and they know which devices I have.... Why wasnt an email sent out?
So, right now, I have no idea what "end of life" means here - will they drop off my Arlo app when the moment approaches? Will the
You will own nothing (Score:3)
And you will be happy.
Remember when buying a piece of equipment meant you owned it and the media it wrote to?
No?
My mistake. We've always been at war with Eurasia.
difficulty (Score:2)
Difficulty: Free space only for customers who happen to be blue muppets.
A camera does not change much (Score:2)
Your typical door bell camera is better than a broadcast TV studio camera was 30 years ago. So the technology for this does not really change, and the only real changes are to the software/firmware.
That said, the EOLing of camera hardware just smacks of planned obsolescence, and forcing customers to landfill their otherwise perfectly good cameras.
I hope these cameras have the capability to save to an SD card and can be easily jailbroken (as in Suzy or John just downloads a piece of software
Re: (Score:2)
I hope these cameras have the capability to save to an SD card and can be easily jailbroken (as in Suzy or John just downloads a piece of software and clicks "OK") and to be used with another service, or some "open cloud" type solution (again, needs to be couple click easy for Suzy and John).
All the camera really has to do is support SFTP or HTTPS for file transfers. Your home computer can ping the thing and do whatever it wants with the files. (Store them on disk, in the cloud, catalog and display them, prune them, etc.)
Should take less than two man-months of open source development for the home server to manage the camera and images.
Bonus points if the camera can connect to the server and stream live video or do interactive communications like a Ring.
Your home computer needs to auto-configure