Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
× Arlo End of Life Policy Notice
To view Arlo’s new End of Life Policy, click here.

Reply
Discussion stats
JPC
Prodigy
Prodigy

This new updated App sure drains battery fast and make a significant warm/heat feel on iPhone 5s and 6 especially in live view.. It sometimes freezes when in full screen mode during live view. In full screen, landscape mode still have the top bar showing with the status icons. Pressing the live button doesn't always starts. When it does, only for a few seconds and stops..  Hmm.. am wondering what bug did the  talented Arlo Software Engineers fix?  

137 REPLIES 137
Nupie
Star
Star
I am having the exact same problem as you. Netgear does not seem to be working on this problem fast enough.
I have been leaving negative reviews online wherever I can find To post.
I’m going to have to return this product also. How can netgear release a product that does not work correctly? This is an outrage!
arlopro2user
Star
Star

Count me in as another experiencing this. I've been on the Arlo platform for over a year now, going from wire-free, to the Pro, and now to the Pro 2. After upgrading to an iPhone 8 Plus (and iOS 11) I've noticed the Arlo app just obliterates the battery usage. With minimal app usage, like loading up the page just to see if any activity was seen, and moving back to some other app on the phone, I started to see the Arlo app consuming 30-40% of the battery per day. This was usage stats under the battery menu in the settings area. Just tonight I realized I left the Arlo app sitting at the display screen on my phone for 10-15 minutes, and when I picked the phone up it was very warm to the touch. This was through an Otterbox case even! 

 

UK_MarkB
Star
Star

All sounds familiar. This is clearly a significant bug.

 

i raised a support case a week ago. Every day or so I get a new Netgear agent asking me similar questions and asking me to try similar things. I send them copy from everyone on this thread to them so they can see it isn’t an isolated incident.

 

I thought this might be a quick fix or at least a message saying “we are on it, stick with us.” But now I’m frustrated and think I should just send the kit back.

 

Working with the agents I have noticed several things that the iPhone or other iOS device doesn’t do that the agents think it should. eg deleting the app from my phone, I cannot playback cameras from the Arlo website. Works fine on pc and MacBook but that doesn’t help the investigation.

 

anyway, thanks for sharing. Hopefully Netgear will sort this quickly.

UK_MarkB
Star
Star

ps is the image quality noticeably better on Pro 2? 1080p is the product I really wanted. 

Nupie
Star
Star
There’s no reason for netgear folks to take more than a few days to figure out why their app uses 3% phone battery life per minute. I don’t think they’re working on it. They keep making it look like it’s the users fault. They make you delete the app,restart the phone....etc. basically calling us stupid. This is a useless camera system without without an efficient app to access it.
arlopro2user
Star
Star

The 1080P quality is a nice bump up, as well as the wider aspect picture. I'm not sure its as clear as other 1080P systems, but it is a good step forward.

breinders
Tutor
Tutor

I am also experience significant battery drain on iPhone 7.  I am new to Arlo (and loving it other than the battery drain) and purchased it after iOS 11 so can't comment on battery drain prior to iOS 11.

 

Arlo - hope you resolve this.  Thanks.

Bugigoy
Initiate
Initiate

Same here as well. We are first time Arlo Pro users and we just bought the 4-camera kit. The Arlo app is causing our iPhones to really warm up and drains away the batteries even for minimal usage of the app (like very quickly viewing the cameras or browsing through the recorded clips). Might truly be an app bug that needed to be addressed as soon as possible. Hoping for a quick resolution from the Arlo team.

DYJ
Guide
Guide
First time Arlo user as well. They weren’t kidding about 1% per min on the 7 plus. That’s nuts. I’m at 69% on a 7 plus. Battery says 22% if that usage is from the Arlo app. 18min I’m screen and 28min background.
UK_MarkB
Star
Star

It’s been a week since the last agent told me that he was forwarding my case to another department and that they would be in touch. Lol. Feels like a brush off now. 

 

So after 3 weeks with no constructive feedback from Netgear,  I can only recommend that anyone who feels that a “hot” phone with 1 hour battery life isn’t an acceptable by-product of Arlo usage should raise a unique request for support to Netgear. Hopefully  Netgear will acknowledge and find a solution.

 

on the plus side, it’s getting cold here now and I now have a very expensive hand-warmer - Thanks to Arlo 🙂

AntB
Apprentice
Apprentice

Hi All, not saying Arlo might not have some work to do, but have you upgraded to iOS 11.1? I have found that latest update for the iPhone has significantly improved my phones battery life. 

Nupie
Star
Star
One other person told me the same. She said she upgraded to iOS 11.1 and battery life seemed to improve.
DYJ
Guide
Guide
LOL I’m on iOS 11.1 and the battery life is terrible. I don’t know how bad you guys had it before to say iOS 11.1 made it better.
UK_MarkB
Star
Star

ps Netgear have reached out to assure me that are continuing the investigation. Encouraging.............

UK_MarkB
Star
Star

one of my updtes my hve gone missing.

 

Just in case - I thought I'd tryt the update to 11.1.

 

IF I start the app and leave it active but do not initiate a video stream, it looks like I get 5-7 minutes per 1% battery drain. I think that's OK given that iPhone screen is active.

 

If I initiate a video stream for maybe 10 seconds then pause but leave the app on screen then battery drain increases to approx 1% every minute.

 

If I leave a video stream running then battery drain is 1% every 30-40 seconds. Phone gets warm.

 

If I switch to a non-Arlo view then battery drain seems reduced to 1% every 5-7 minutes or so.

 

11.1 does seem to have changed things but not cured. In my case it appears that the iPhone processing initiated on a video stream is not halted if I pause or stop the video stream.

 

Just what seems to be happening right now, in my case , on the move to 11.1.

SkyBot
Tutor
Tutor

Hi, I'm new here, and can confirm - the Arlo iOS app is a battery sucker.

The moment you stream a video (live or from the library), the battery begins to rapidly drain.

You have to kill the app to get it to stop.

 

I just bought and installed the arlo pro 2 with 2 cameras.

  • Arlo app: 2.4.4
  • Upgraded all firmware on base station and cameras
  • I have an iPhone 7 - running iOS 10.3.3

I'm not going to bother dealing with Netgear support and get the run around on, reboot this that, reinstall, etc.

Simple fact: if they cannot fix the power-suck bug soon - this system goes back to bestbuy.

DYJ
Guide
Guide
UK_MarkB you are the man. Your work around worked wonders.

So make sure you tap one of the other tabs before you press the home button (like Mode or Setting) and your battery will not drain like crazy. This is definitely a software bug, but this work around will give us a temporary solution.
SkyBot
Tutor
Tutor

Yeah, the workaround seems to work.

Even when they fix this software bug though... I'm concerned that a active video stream is also too taxing on the iphone, draining its battery. 

 

I'm currently evaluating a RIng camera too... and I can leave it in Live View mode and monitor in real time without watching my iphone battery percentage tic down.

 

I'm beginning to wonder if Arlo offloads a bunch of compute to the phone app to preserve battery - and it's a power sucker by design.

averagecodeman
Aspirant
Aspirant

I am on iOS 10.1.1, iPhone 7 Plus. Same issue. CRAZY battery drain, app is obviously fully running in the background when it should be shutting itself off and only pushing motion notifications. Not sure what to do, I received it and installed it just yesterday. Might have to return it, which is a shame.

averagecodeman
Aspirant
Aspirant

I am on 10.1.1 - same issue. I don't think this is an iOS issue, seems to be an issue with the app. Again, I am a full version older than 11.1 and this is most definitely happening on my phone too.

DYJ
Guide
Guide

Hey guys,

 

No one is saying this is an iOS issue. The thread is the Arlo App on iOS because they also make the app for other platforms. Check out UK_MarkB posted, changing the tab seems to help. Like you guys already mentioned, it's pretty obvious the app does not shut off when you hit the home button. 

 

Re: Arlo App 2.4.4 on iOS

one of my updtes my hve gone missing.

 

Just in case - I thought I'd tryt the update to 11.1.

 

IF I start the app and leave it active but do not initiate a video stream, it looks like I get 5-7 minutes per 1% battery drain. I think that's OK given that iPhone screen is active.

 

If I initiate a video stream for maybe 10 seconds then pause but leave the app on screen then battery drain increases to approx 1% every minute.

 

If I leave a video stream running then battery drain is 1% every 30-40 seconds. Phone gets warm.

 

If I switch to a non-Arlo view then battery drain seems reduced to 1% every 5-7 minutes or so.

 

11.1 does seem to have changed things but not cured. In my case it appears that the iPhone processing initiated on a video stream is not halted if I pause or stop the video stream.

 

Just what seems to be happening right now, in my case , on the move to 11.1.

saronian
Guide
Guide

Same here, hot iPhone 7 + rapid battery drain when Arlo app 2.4.4 is running. Had a similar problem a couple years ago with Logitec's Harmony Remote app. A runaway process would cause high heat and severe battery drain. Took them a couple weeks to find and fix the bug.

cherlock
Star
Star

I have 89 apps on an iphone 7 ios 11.2 and no other app has these issues, which stongly suggests it's a netgear app problem. 

cherlock
Star
Star

BTW -- these suggestions are in no way a fix, but seems to mitigate the battery issue somewhat:

       When done with app, but while still logged in the app, got to: 'settings'/'profile' and tap "log out". Then double click the home button and swipe the app off the screen.

       Also, on the iphone go to 'settings'/'general'/'background app refresh' and turn off 'arlo'.

 

      Hope this helps, but it doesn't do anything for the overheating issue.

 

      Netgear needs to seriously adress the issues.

 

     

cherlock
Star
Star

Yes i tried all the usual 'fixes'. I deleted/reinstalled app, did a  hard reboot, reset base station, resynced all 4 cameras, then deleted/reinstalled app again. 

While I'm jumping thrugh hoops to find a resolution, (and many other users), I'd like to know what Netgear has/or is doing to correct the issues.