Unhappy with need for base station for homekit

[Presley]

I'm very disappointed that the floodlight is advertised as a Homekit compatible camera with no mention of a hub being required. I just looked at the webpage again and there is not even an asterisk or footnote mentioning this. I thought, "Finally! No need for that base station interference and poor range." 

And surely I do not have to pay to use the floodlight and camera, do I? As a long time Arlo user and early adopter, I'm surprised at that the "You'll never have to pay" service ending. 

Thank you for any clarification you may provide.

[JamesC]

Presley,

All Arlo devices need to be synced to a compatible base station or SmartHub to utilize HomeKit integration. Take a look here for more information: How do I connect my Arlo camera to Apple HomeKit?

After the Arlo Smart trial expires, an Arlo Smart subscription plan is needed to continuing experiencing the benefits of Arlo Smart. For more information on this, take a look here: What options will I have when the Arlo Smart 3-month trial plan ends?

JamesC

[Presley]

As I stated in my message, the requirement for the base station needs to be made clear in the product sales information and specs. The range of the base station and WiFi congestion it creates makes it a problem for me to use.

Without HomeKit, I might as well stick with Ring for $99/year which gives me a lot more features than Arlo Smart. Arlo Smart does not satisfy my homeowner's insurance company whereas the Ring professional monitoring does -- and it is a better value. I think Arlo needs to re-think their pricing.

Thank you for your response and information.

[DallasKeeton]

Thanks for the update and quick reply. I'll be sure to keep an eye on this thread. Looking for the same issue. Bumped into your thread. Thanks for creating it. Looking forward for solution.

[michaelkenward]

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@Presley wrote:

As a long time Arlo user and early adopter, I'm surprised at that the "You'll never have to pay" service ending. 

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The free seven-day recording died a few years back, when Arlo started releasing "updates" to the Pro 2 range. Ultra, Pro 3, Pro 4 and essentials all need a subscription after an initial free period. The length of that depends on what devices you own.

To partly placate early adopters, Arlo added direct storage access.