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RChobby · ‎2019-01-19

I see Arlo updated the iOS app today. I’m reluctant to download and try until I hear from others!

paddos · ‎2019-01-21

Really amazing to read through customer feedback on yet another screwed up app launch. Whole community doing their best to tolerate and find work arounds to stick with a brand that apparently just doesn't get it. Hey Arlo when are you going to recognize chasing new features without reliably protecting your installed base will not work. Your stock is already sub 8 or 50% of your last spring public offering, firms are investigating if you properly communicated problems with you Altra launch and your extremely loyal installed base is doing their best to make your screwed up app work. You think maybe you should try a different approach????

ArloAlex · ‎2019-01-21

Hi everyone,

I'm seeing a couple bugs brought up in this thread....

App freezes up upon launch for 20-30 seconds and can crash
Library images slow to be come available
Snapshot and record buttons missing, but not all the time ( @AncientGeek and @gsw42489)
Same clip plays back, regardless of camera tried or clip tapped ( @Shavy and @Ht70 and @Dannybear and @PaulC25 )

For #1 and #2 - I'm able to reproduce and the teams are already investigating.

For #3 and #4 - I'm not able to reproduce, so I'd like to ask for more information...

iOS device
iOS version
Arlo base station
Arlo cameras observed on
Do you have an Arlo Smart plan?
If you check right now, do you still see these same issues? (if you answer yes here, we are still going to investigate; a yes here can be a clue to whether this is a bug with the app or something else)

Thanks everyone - we bashed a few problematic bugs with 2.7.1, and I'd like to make sure we fully understand these new bugs so we can address them in a future release.

paddos · ‎2019-01-21

Dear Arlo Expert,

If you can replicate the problems your customers are experiencing. is it too much to ask why these problems were not found prior to launch? This pattern of launching buggy firmware has been 100% predictable for over a year. Most of us have even turned off auto update knowing this history. I would suggest once you once again fix what you release you try to build some confidence with your community on what steps you are taking to change how you are releasing software. If you are not capable of testing before launch at least use your community more effectively to beta test.

AncientGeek · ‎2019-01-21

@ArloAlex wrote:

Hi everyone,

I'm seeing a couple bugs brought up in this thread....

App freezes up upon launch for 20-30 seconds and can crash

Library images slow to be come available

Snapshot and record buttons missing, but not all the time ( @AncientGeek and @gsw42489)

Same clip plays back, regardless of camera tried or clip tapped ( @Shavy and @Ht70 and @Dannybear and @PaulC25 )

For #1 and #2 - I'm able to reproduce and the teams are already investigating.

For #3 and #4 - I'm not able to reproduce, so I'd like to ask for more information...

iOS device

iOS version

Arlo base station

Arlo cameras observed on

Do you have an Arlo Smart plan?

If you check right now, do you still see these same issues? (if you answer yes here, we are still going to investigate; a yes here can be a clue to whether this is a bug with the app or something else)

Thanks everyone - we bashed a few problematic bugs with 2.7.1, and I'd like to make sure we fully understand these new bugs so we can address them in a future release.

iOS device 2018 11” iPad Pro

iOS version 12.1.1

I have a second account that I use on my iPhone XS running iOS 12.1.2.

The offending cameras are shared with admin rights from another account. These same cameras DO show the record and snapshot icons on the account that owns these devices when I view those cameras on my iPhone XS running iOS 12.1.2.

Arlo base station: VMB4000r3 running 1.12.0.1_27940

and Arlo Q cameras running V 1.9.0.0_269

Arlo cameras observed on: Q Plus, Pro 2, Original Arlo Wireless

Do you have an Arlo Smart plan? Yes. Smart Elite on both accounts.

If you check right now, do you still see these same issues? Yes.

ArloAlex · ‎2019-01-21

Thank you for the detail, @AncientGeek! I'll revert internally with your feedback - hoepfully we can uncover the underlying issue here quickly.

AncientGeek · ‎2019-01-21

Thank you, Alex!

Shavy · ‎2019-01-21

* iOS device - iPhone 6
* iOS version - iOS 12.1.2
* Arlo base station
- HW VMB4000r3
- FW 1.12.0.1_2790
* Arlo cameras observed on - Anomaly occurs on all 4 Arlo Pro 2 cameras
- HW H3
- FW 1.125.11.4_29092
* Do you have an Arlo Smart plan? No
* If you check right now, do you still see these same issues? - Yes, still have the same issues

ArloAlex · ‎2019-01-21

Thank you @Shavy - reverting this to the teams now.

Dannybear · ‎2019-01-21

@ArloExpert,

information requested

iOS device
iPhone 5s

iOS version
V 12.1.2

Arlo base station
VMB4000r3

Arlo cameras observed on
Arlo Pro 2

Do you have an Arlo Smart plan?
No

If you check right now, do you still see these same issues?
Yes

Additional info

I am able to download any selected clip correctly, just not view it.
I can view any clip if I back track by swiping while playing the last clip.
Have deleted App via iPhone storage view and installed again with no fix.

Partner’s iPhone 5s using v2.7.0 working correctly.

ArloAlex · ‎2019-01-21

Thank you @Dannybear !

PaulC25 · ‎2019-01-21

@ArloAlex wrote:

Hi everyone,

I'm seeing a couple bugs brought up in this thread....

App freezes up upon launch for 20-30 seconds and can crash

Library images slow to be come available

Snapshot and record buttons missing, but not all the time ( @AncientGeek and @gsw42489)

Same clip plays back, regardless of camera tried or clip tapped ( @Shavy and @Ht70 and @Dannybear and @PaulC25 )

For #1 and #2 - I'm able to reproduce and the teams are already investigating.

For #3 and #4 - I'm not able to reproduce, so I'd like to ask for more information...

iOS device iPhone 5s

iOS version 11.4.1

Arlo base station VMB4000r3

Arlo cameras observed on Arlo Pro

Do you have an Arlo Smart plan? No

If you check right now, do you still see these same issues? (if you answer yes here, we are still going to investigate; a yes here can be a clue to whether this is a bug with the app or something else) Yes

Thanks everyone - we bashed a few problematic bugs with 2.7.1, and I'd like to make sure we fully understand these new bugs so we can address them in a future release.

gsw42489 · ‎2019-01-21

I was already informed that you guys were looking into the record button issue for iOS devices… So I’m not sure how you’re not able to replicate or look into this. I am on the free trial for the smart plan through the end of the month… But that does not matter or make a difference. My significant other is the account holder, has an android device, and has the record button when she’s in live view. I have completely uninstalled, then reinstalled the app on my iPhone 7 Plus… And my software for the phone is up-to-date. This is clearly an issue with the iOS app..

AncientGeek · ‎2019-01-22

@gsw42489 wrote:
I was already informed that you guys were looking into the record button issue for iOS devices… So I’m not sure how you’re not able to replicate or look into this. I am on the free trial for the smart plan through the end of the month… But that does not matter or make a difference. My significant other is the account holder, has an android device, and has the record button when she’s in live view. I have completely uninstalled, then reinstalled the app on my iPhone 7 Plus… And my software for the phone is up-to-date. This is clearly an issue with the iOS app..

I think you hit on it in your post. I was missing those buttons on all of my cameras previously. I think Arlo addressed it for “owned” cameras. However, yesterday I noticed (and reported) that cameras I monitor that are shared from another account, are still missing the record and snapshot icons...even if shared with admin rights. (I didn’t test it without admin rights)

So so I think that is the answer. Arlo was able to reproduce the problem with “owned” cameras and they appear to have fixed that, but they likely didn’t test adequately (or at all) with “shared” camera access, which is where the problem remains.

Kbaustin77 · ‎2019-01-22

I am having the exact same problem. My husband has not updated his app and he can still see past videos in our library.

jimmarshall87 · ‎2019-01-22

Super slow startup before the app becomes responsive still. On startup the app previously seemed to load a cached image for the thumbnail. Now it seems to make a network connection back to arlo - I can only think it is trying to obtain an updated thumbnail image but after one minute of activity it eventually allows the UI to become responsive and still shows old thumbnails - so baffled as to what it is doing. DMd the Arlo CEO on twitter twice with no response. Baby monitor has hung three times with no visible change to the display, so you do not know it has failed - dangerous. Do not update to this build.

AncientGeek · ‎2019-01-22

I occurred to me this evening that I have spent more time testing, installing, de-installing, documenting problems and seeking workarounds for the Arlo app in the last three months than I have spent on ALL OTHER iOS Apps combined since I started using iOS, NINE years ago. That’s on ELEVEN different iPads, SEVEN different iPhones and TEN Apple TVs...COMBINED!!!

It also just occurred to me that this is why I abandoned Microsoft Windows in favor of Apple products nine years ago. I realized that Microsoft had zero respect for my time. I spent far too much time babysitting their software and far too little time getting My Work done. Apple systems allowed me to do MY work. Arlo doesn’t know how to write software consistent with Apple norms for software that “just works”. It is really software that “mostly fails” all the time and partially works most of the time, but fails miserably way too often. That is pretty sad.

paddos · ‎2019-01-22

Amazing!!! I appreciate what you are doing. Wish you were actually on Arlo payroll and had the chance to test before release ... they could REALLY use the help. You could "bash" all those bugs before the community has to deal with them.

Honestly do appreciate what you are doing.

AncientGeek · ‎2019-01-22

@paddos wrote:
Amazing!!! I appreciate what you are doing. Wish you were actually on Arlo payroll and had the chance to test before release ... they could REALLY use the help. You could "bash" all those bugs before the community has to deal with them.

Honestly do appreciate what you are doing.

Thank you. I’d be happy to be an early tester, if it gave me a direct line to development to report bugs and provide input on architecture and functionality. I started on punch cards and paper tape back when time-sharing was new, worked as a mainframe computer operator, help desk manager, programmer, system administrator, network administrator, project manager for new computer systems introductions and was a CIO for 20 years. I’ve witnessed and learned a lot working with computers for over 46 years. It is never easy, but it should NOT be this difficult.

paddos · ‎2019-01-22

So true. Retired now but was CTO for a major appliance company. Released 43 million durable appliances every year with just as complex software as Arlo. Just was no way we would ever accept performance as I have experienced with Arlo. I know they are trying really hard. Wish I could help. Just hope that someone that can make a difference recognizes that this pattern will eventually kill the company and something has to change. 18 months in to my experience and still hoping ...

Dannybear · ‎2019-01-22

It must be frustrating for those in the know to sit by and see a potential product fall from favour. I say Kudos to those that are trying to throw out a life ring.

I notice a lot of repeating posts about the same bug issues and suggest that a sticking post at the start of this Arlo pro 2 forum outlining known bugs with links to threads where they can post their same experiences. They can then be easily managed by the forum manager and Arlo experts. I would also give owners the confidence that someone is listening at least at this level.

AncientGeek · ‎2019-01-23

@Dannybear wrote:
It must be frustrating for those in the know to sit by and see a potential product fall from favour. I say Kudos to those that are trying to throw out a life ring.

I notice a lot of repeating posts about the same bug issues and suggest that a sticking post at the start of this Arlo pro 2 forum outlining known bugs with links to threads where they can post their same experiences. They can then be easily managed by the forum manager and Arlo experts. I would also give owners the confidence that someone is listening at least at this level.

I think that would help, also. I know the moderators here try to do that in some cases, but I suspect it is overwhelming. Users are usually frustrated by the time they get here and rather than read and invest their own time looking for an answer, they just ask their question or lash out. Rather than being an organized list of questions and answers among peers, it ends up being a vast tangled, free flowing sea of repeating observations, complaints and recommendations. I think it is fairly typical of “communities” in general, just due to human behavior.

However, I know it would be far better, if the software had far fewer bugs and much less regression from release to release.

Wuff · ‎2019-01-23

I'm sticking with 2.6.3 also for now, even though it has some major flaws. At least the pixelation that used to occur on recordings is gone. It took Netgear 1.5 years to fix that. (I use 20 Arlo Q cameras at two locations.)

DavidMillerBG · ‎2019-01-23

I am also experiencing #4 : Same clip plays back, regardless of camera tried or clip tapped

iOS device: iPhone SE
iOS version: 12.1.2
Arlo base station: Arlo Hub VMB4000r3 / 1.12.0.1_27940
Arlo cameras observed on: Pro2 H3 / 1.125.11.4_29092
Do you have an Arlo Smart plan? Yes. Arlo Smart Premier
If you check right now, do you still see these same issues? Yes

ArloAlex · ‎2019-01-23

Thanks @DavidMillerBG (and everyone else who is providing guidance on their phones/OSes for these bugs).

The engineering team tremendously appreciates your contributions - they truly do help in our efforts to deliver improvements to the app and experience!

ArloAlex · ‎2019-01-23

Follow up Q for @Shavy, @Ht70 @Dannybear @PaulC25 @DavidMillerBG -

When you are unable to play any clip besides the newest one: Are these clips on a camera where you are the admin owner?

Or, are these cameras shared with you from another account (ie you were "Granted Access" by a partner, other user, etc?) And, if you were granted access to these cameras, do you know if you were also granted Access Rights (or Administrative Rights)? This setting should not affect video playback, but I'd just like to confirm.

Thanks,

Alex

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