Connected to Apple Home Kit but have no control

[CPHard]

I have three Essential Gen 2 Cameras and a Smart Base Station.

I have been able to connect the Base Station to my Apple Home Kit through the Arlo App.

If I open the Apple Home Kit App, I can find the Base Station (Bridge) under >Home Setting>Hubs and Bridges. But this is the limit to the interaction between Arlo and Home Kit. I can not do anything that Arlo promote as being able to do with Apple Home Kit. There is Zero functionality.

[CPHard]

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Essential-Outdoor-2nd-Gen/Not-recording-locally-Essential-with-Ba... 

[StephenB]

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@CPHard wrote:

I have three Essential Gen 2 Cameras and a Smart Base Station.

I have been able to connect the Base Station to my Apple Home Kit through the Arlo App.

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1. Gen 2 cameras don't yet support HomeKit.
2. Plus they cannot connect to your smarthub.  They only connect to your home wifi.

You need to wait for both features to be available before you can use HomeKit with these cameras.  At that point you'll need to move the Gen 2 cameras to your base.

[CPHard]

Somehow I thought that would be the answer. I mean why release an undated next generation camera that has less functionality than it's predecessor!

Another example of Arlo trying to force subscriptions! 

I should have bought a differant system! Very disappointing.

[StephenB]

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@CPHard wrote:

Another example of Arlo trying to force subscriptions! 

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Lack of Homekit support is certainly not about subscriptions, as a subscription won't get you HomeKit for the cameras either.  

I think the real issue here is that 25% - 30% of all electronic sales happen during the Christmas season.  Arlo launched the gen 2 cameras in the fall in order to capture those sales.  So they ended up launching it before all the features were finished.

This is a common tech problem - many tech companies launch product in September/October, counting on software updates in December to get everything working.  Often those updates end up late.

As far as "forcing subscriptions" goes, IMO the driver for that is the combination of

1. no free cloud storage
2. no support for homekit secure video
3. the poor (deliberately crippled) user experience with direct access to local storage.

[CPHard]

I'm thinking about returning and refunding my whole system.

I can't see any indication on any advertisement (Australia) that informs the buyer of these issues. Gen 2 cameras work with the Smart Base Stations, and the Base Station records locally and works with HomeKit. I can't see any exceptions.

Lucky in this country we have excellent laws to protect consumers. 

Arlo needs to lift there game. 

[StephenB]

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@CPHard wrote:

Gen 2 cameras work with the Smart Base Stations

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Where are you seeing that?  Can you provide a link?

• Smarthubs aren't shown as accessories for the Gen 2 cameras on the Arlo web site.
• If you look at the compatible devices for the two smarthubs, you won't see Gen 2 cameras listed for either.
• The "compare cameras" page shows "N/A" for base stations when you select Gen 2. 

And the base station compatibility list says Gen 2 cameras cannot pair with a base station:

• https://kb.arlo.com/000062284/Arlo-SmartHub-and-Base-Station-Compatibility

The homekit FAQ also doesn't list the Gen 2 models in the "applies to" list.

• https://kb.arlo.com/000062279/How-do-I-connect-my-Arlo-device-to-Apple-HomeKit

Homekit and smarthubs aren't listed on the camera datasheets, and are not referenced in the camera user manuals either.

It is quite possible that Arlo has an error somewhere that says it is compatible, but I am not finding it on the US site.

(I'm not saying you won't be able to return it.  Just that I am not seeing any claims that the cameras support either smarthubs or apple homekit).

[CPHard]

Will have to see what the 'retailer' had advertised about the hub and cameras when I bought them a few months ago.