Apple HomeKit Secure Video

[Edron]

Apple announced a new service called Homekit Secure Video...they announced three companies that will start implementing it but unfortunately arlo was not amongst them...I hope arlo announces and enables this service in addition to the promised by not yet seen Homekit integration.

[DaveM8686]

@Sevakesmailian because no hubs mean no local storage at all.  You get a 3 month trial for the Essential which allows the cloud storage, and after that you have to pay for any kind of storage on those cameras.  Otherwise they're just used for streaming.  

[Sevakesmailian]

Guys please all dm him and complain hopefully he doesn’t something and fixes it! That would be so awsome to get secure homekit video ... 

@illuminous @Jamesk811 @DaveM8686 

this is what the ceo told me 

“HomeKit Secure Video is not in process and Apple doesn't even support non-Linux based device SDK. Plus lots of issues on security and performance. So no plans there as right now there is no technical path to do it. We will always continue to look at it though... Some of our latest products are starting to support WIFI routers (we call it D2AP)... doorbell, floodlight etc but requires different WIFI. But that support will continue to roll out with launches over next 12 months”

[DaveM8686]

@Sevakesmailian How did you get in contact? What's the details?

[Sevakesmailian]

@DaveM8686 

they should implement the local storage with a option yo buy a Accessory that could possibly connect with Ethernet if possible... if not Atleast give us the option... people like me use the cloud only no local! Arlo just frustrates me honestly 

[DaveM8686]

I also can't believe he said that there's issues on performance and security with HKSV.  From a security perspective, HKSV stays locally.  Nothing ever leaves your network, unlike Arlo which have to bounce everything to their server, meaning all your footage could be intercepted, and meaning Arlo can store and view all your footage.  As for performance, well, I could write an essay about Arlo's so called "performance", but the fact that they only pick up 60-70% of events, take 5 minutes to write a 20second clip to the cloud, take 20 seconds to notify me about that clip...that should say it all.

[DaveM8686]

@Sevakesmailian they have that option to buy an accessory to do local storage.  It's their hubs.  They're trying to make as much money as possible.  The Essential is just a crippled version of the Pro3/Ultra that you need to either pay for a subscription or buy extra hardware just to use it as a security camera.

[Sevakesmailian]

@DaveM8686 

I just went on his twitter 

https://twitter.com/mbmcrae?s=21 

@mbmcrae 

I just dm him and Complains about everything and told him is my last time I will try to get help from a Arlo or I will leave the Arlo for another camera company. Then the next day about mid day he responded to me and I kept telling him about all the complaints and he in direct contact with his engineers with their telephone numbers and the customer service main person in his office. Now I can text the engineers about 24 hours anytime regarding these problems that any of you see or I see... I told the engineers multiple times to go on this community page and check out all the complaints and I told the CEO to do that as well! I just hope I Arlo honestly gets secure HomeKit video capabilities or else I will leave

[DaveM8686]

@Sevakesmailian  thanks for that.  I'll contact as well.

[Sevakesmailian]

@DaveM8686  

Sounds great hopefully more people message (dm) him too and we can get the fixes we need! 

[illuminous]

@DaveM8686 

On your post around performance and security of HSV. I am the first to admit that early on in HSV, there were definitely some issues and I didn't even get onboard at the beginning. That being said, right now for me it is working perfectly, so agree with you. I am now running at 2-camera EufyCam 2C Pro alongside Arlo Pro 3 (until my Smart subscription runs out). On security, it's unbelievable he could say that.

For me EufyCam with HSV is simply the best implementation. Even without HSV, EufyCam hubs process the video locally, not on the cloud. This offers a huge leap in performance versus Arlo. When adding EufyCam to HSV, you get the best of both worlds. Local storage of 2K video, local processing of video for people detection etc. on Apple HomePod/AppleTV with cloud storage on HSV (iCloud).

If you run an Apple HomeKit home, then you will be blown away with how well HSV works coming from Arlo, which will get even better with iOS 14. 

I suspect the real truth behind Arlo hesitance in adopting HSV is due to revenue. Without a doubt, Arlo see their services (subscriptions) being the driver of their future revenue... just take a look at some of their recent Investor presentations. Their CEO saying things like performance, security, technical issues is just a smokescreen. This is why I believe no matter how much we advocate, we will never see HSV.

That being said, I see an easy option for Arlo... Charge a monthly fee for HSV. There is no doubt Arlo has excellent hardware that is being let down by its software. I have no doubt, people would pay to allow HSV over Arlo's own Smart subscription to continue to utilise their hardware.