Arlo
Support

markjericho · ‎2019-09-21

After updating to iOS 13, my geofencing no longer works. Shocking. Geofencing is the most unstable feature in this product. I find I need to open the app and then it figures out my locations has changed. Come on Arlo, does anyone test this stuff there?!?!

Tomwebb81 · ‎2019-12-04

Thanks AncientGreek,

With you and yes mine is set for both.

jpottaway · ‎2019-12-04

@bmwdriver7175 It has been posted before. Apple did change Background and Location APIs in iOS13. It was well documented during the beta (links back) and didn't stop other companies with competant devs from transitioning. Arlo are just trying to buck pass. It is their issue. Even if there were iOS13 niggles initially apps work around it, stay on those release notes and maintain stability. Their dev team needs a round of sackings.

jpottaway · ‎2019-12-04

Its a bit early for me but US peeps should crush this live chat with this issue.

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Video-Doorbell/Arlo-Video-Doorbell-Chat-with-Neal-Skura-Sr-Produc...

RangeWolf · ‎2019-12-04

Their updates consistently break the app. It’s as if they do zero regression testing on updates before they put them into production. They let their customers perform the testing. Honestly, their developers and QA testers should be fired along with their software development director. This level constant failure on updates for a security product is totally unacceptable.

AlexWetten · ‎2019-12-04

“Its a bit early for me but US peeps should crush this live chat with this issue.”

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Video-Doorbell/Arlo-Video-Doorbell-Chat-with-Neal-Skura-Sr-Produc...

jpottaway, that’s a really good idea! Perhaps then the message of complete and utter discontent will filter through to the right people (executives + potential customers)

bmwdriver7175 · ‎2019-12-04

Totally agree, the incompetence is mind boggling.

Stunew78 · ‎2019-12-04

What they said ^^^^

Thing is, Arlo dont see us as paying customers, they see us as beta testers.
Their contempt for customers has been proven time and again of many years.

jpottaway · ‎2019-12-04

True beta testers would get the cloud services for free. The gauling thing is they have paying subscription customers using this crap. (beyond the cost of getting the hardware) I certinally have never considered getting a subscription, even though I have a genuine need to, just because of how terrible the software has been. Shooting themseves in the foot, revenue wise.

Hit the live chat above tomorrow! (Thursday)

Djelone · ‎2019-12-05

Thanks to everyone pointing at flaws on the Arlo app and their lack of QA/CS and common sense.
I'm very annoyed by this issue. I'm using a full set of Arlo camera and paid subscription for now 3 years. Everything was almost fine until September when it started to not work properly. We had that new app, and I went to iPhone 11 Pro max which of course come with iOS upgrade to 13.

So I don't know where the issue come from but what I know is that it affect the most important feature of the app for me which is geofencing. Given my daily organization, there is no way for me to use the schedule nor change it manually so I just have $1500 worth of equipment for nothing lying around my house. This is pissing me off really bad.

I don't wan't to spend 2 hours with your support which will ask me some useless stuff like remove and re plug cameras or base station for nothing. As it was said, lots of people are touched by this issue and my guess is that only a fraction right now are complaining here, but make no mistake, all customers affected will take duly note of what's happening and Arlo will be out of business in the coming year if you don't fix this right now.

AncientGeek · ‎2019-12-05

@Djelone wrote:

Thanks to everyone pointing at flaws on the Arlo app and their lack of QA/CS and common sense.
I'm very annoyed by this issue. I'm using a full set of Arlo camera and paid subscription for now 3 years. Everything was almost fine until September when it started to not work properly. We had that new app, and I went to iPhone 11 Pro max which of course come with iOS upgrade to 13.

So I don't know where the issue come from but what I know is that it affect the most important feature of the app for me which is geofencing. Given my daily organization, there is no way for me to use the schedule nor change it manually so I just have $1500 worth of equipment for nothing lying around my house. This is pissing me off really bad.

I don't wan't to spend 2 hours with your support which will ask me some useless stuff like remove and re plug cameras or base station for nothing. As it was said, lots of people are touched by this issue and my guess is that only a fraction right now are complaining here, but make no mistake, all customers affected will take duly note of what's happening and Arlo will be out of business in the coming year if you don't fix this right now.

That sums it up well. Arlo support is insulting at best and their software is their #1 barrier to market domination. They are their own worst enemy...and it has been this way for years. If they ever smarten up and fix this, their business would triple. As it looks today, their competition is going to keep learning and improving until they finally have better systems and customers have an easy choice when considering a move elsewhere. I am using cameras from Eufy, Logitech, Wyze, Nest, Axis, Ring and TP-Link in addition to Arlo. I still like Arlo architecture best, but their execution is fraught with issues as is plainly visible through the community threads.

With regard to geofencing, if you have only one device that determines your geofencing status, a workaround (as mentioned by others) is IFTTT (and others). IFTTT specifically has applets that associate Location with Arlo for arming and disarming the system. I can’t use them because we have two phones that determine our geofencing status and I don’t see a way to make it work when either or both are on location (Home) or neither are on location (Away) and Arlo has not exposed the ability to chose Schedule to IFTTT as an action. Arm/Disarm are the only exposed Modes. Also the target of the IFTTT applet must be an Arlo device that is owned. My shared Arlo devices don’t show up as choices. And, if you have more than one Arlo device with its own geofencing status (multiple bases, Q family cameras, Go, etc.) at a single location, you have to set those all up with their own Enter and Exit applets. But if you are a single device which owns the base station at a single location and you only Arm and Disarm, the cameras, IFTTT would be fairly easy.

wow...that was even hard to describe! Today, I’m going to test the six applets I set up while writing this to see how it works. What I really wanted was a simple applet that would just open the Arlo app when I enter or exit my locations. That would have been the easiest workaround.

Arlo folks....did you notice how much work this problem is creating for your customers? ... In addition to frustration and anger in many cases. This is called a barrier to adoption or motivation to leave your platform. This is why your sales are lagging and your stock is performing poorly (to put it kindly). Your hardware is well designed, your architecture is pretty cool, your software execution is horrible as is your customer service and case management. Which of those functions are internal and which are outsourced. Is there a correlation?

bmwdriver7175 · ‎2019-12-05

Well said. Someone posted the email address of the CEO of Netgear, who still owns a large Position in Arlo. I emailed him and got a response from someone very quickly wanting to speak with me, someone from the customer care team. I did explain that I’m not looking for the basic troubleshooting but to send a message how bad the support and software is as many people are having the same issue and this has been going on for years. That email address is being monitored and if we send enough messages that way asking for or even demanding a change of personnel running this development department at Arlo perhaps a house cleaning will come. After all given the price of the stock alone should have prompted a change. So let them know your displeasure and all the problems you are having. There is strength in numbers and maybe this will get something done. Here is the address again in case you missed it.

plo@netgear.com

Mick12 · ‎2019-12-05

Still inoperative and no response from Arlo support after two replies I have sent

anthonym6 · ‎2019-12-05

Add me to the list! Amazed to see this many posts/views and the issue is still unresolved. Extremely frustrated!

Whatarussh · ‎2019-12-05

Its almost 11:00 PST and everyone should be ready to speak their mind about Geofencing during the live chat. If Arlo won't take care of their existing customers then we should share our experience with all the potential new customers, right?

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Video-Doorbell/Arlo-Video-Doorbell-Chat-with-Neal-Skura-Sr-Produc...

MuckNoMore · ‎2019-12-05

Just received this from Arlo Support

Good day! This is Jonas from Arlo Customer Care Team.
Our team is aware that some users are experiencing issues with the geofencing capability on iOS. Arlo is working with our technology partner to resolve this issue expeditiously and we expect to deliver a resolution shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience while our team is working to improve the experience.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Jonas Magat
Customer Care Advocate
Arlo Technologies, Inc.

chocdb · ‎2019-12-05

@MuckNoMore - What a joke, its the same cut and paste statements.... My 11 year old daughter could do a better job than these idiots.....

AncientGeek · ‎2019-12-05

@MuckNoMore wrote:

Just received this from Arlo Support

Good day! This is Jonas from Arlo Customer Care Team.
Our team is aware that some users are experiencing issues with the geofencing capability on iOS. Arlo is working with our technology partner to resolve this issue expeditiously and we expect to deliver a resolution shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience while our team is working to improve the experience.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Jonas Magat
Customer Care Advocate
Arlo Technologies, Inc.

They should stop using “partners” and hire a competent team in-house to develop the software side by side with the hardware team!

jbailey · ‎2019-12-05

i would love to know what they plan to do to fix this, or when they plan to even address it. i work in sales, so i'm constantly in and out of the house. totally unreliable unless i remember to open the app every time i leave the driveway and pull into the driveway, usually the last thing on my mind. very annoying, also my wife and i cannot seem to share the app, when she logs in, it logs me out, when i log in, it does the same to her. we have it set up to "share" privileges but it doesn't seem to work.

not so thrilled with this camera system.

Cance · ‎2019-12-05

Hi, I am from Italy, looking for a fixing of Geofencing problems for many months...
Please Arlo, and mr. Neil Skura, CONCENTRATE YOURSELVES ON THIS PROBLEM!!!
Customers are very tired of hearing your apologies.
It is time for a class action!

wsscott · ‎2019-12-06

Ok, I think I've found the problem--and its with IOS 13.2.3. I originally setup Geofencing on my iPhone 5, and assigned my wife's iphone 5 as a Guest Access. It worked fine. Then we upgraded to iPhone 7's in Spring, 2019. We're running IOS 13.2.3 on both 7's, and Arlo App 2.11.1 on both 7's, and have all of the problems everyone is having. One particular issue is that I stopped getting In/Out notifications. I decided to turn off my iPhone 7, take out the sim card and put it into the iPhone 5 which was not being used and was not active in Arlo's geofencing. It was still shown but "unchecked". The 5 is running IOS 10.3.4!!! I had to upgrade the Arlo app to 2.11.1 on the iPhone 5. So I then went out for a drive with both my 5 and my wife's 7. Both apps were closed but both have Location Services on Always as well as Background Refresh. I got out of the HomeGeofencing zone, and I got a Notification that I'm Away and house is Armed!! I drove a bit, stopped the car, opened the App on the 5, and it showed my phone and my wife's Away!. Closed the App, drove back home, and when I got in the Home Zone, I got a Notification that I'm in the Home Zone and the system is Disarmed!!! Both devices show at Home. So the problem is clearly a result of IOS 13, but its related to the MAIN PHONE, not the phone that was Granted Access. This is confirmed because I'm using my old iPhone 5 on IOS 10.3.4 which Grants Access to the account, and my wife's is on iPhone 7 on IOS 13, and Arlo Geofencing is working properly. So who knows what the deal is with IOS 13, and who knows why it only affects the Main Phone granting access to the others, but that's where the trouble is. NOW, someone at ARLO needs to follow this up and fix it, because Apple is not going to fix it just for ARLO.

azarloGuy · ‎2019-12-06

You are spot on. That’s why Apple has a lengthy beta test process to allow developers to bring their apps current with the changes to the new operating system. Most companies did that, but this company decided not to and now all the problems. As best I can tell this is indeed on Arlo and not Apple. Either they ignored the beta or there is some real incompetence in that development department which should be rooted out by Arlo and replaced with qualified developers.

wsscott · ‎2019-12-06

Sounds like a reasonable conclusion. Ultimately its something Apple did with IOS, who knows what it was, but that change in IOS affects Arlo and maybe other apps out there.

AncientGeek · ‎2019-12-06

@wsscott wrote:

Ok, I think I've found the problem--and its with IOS 13.2.3. I originally setup Geofencing on my iPhone 5, and assigned my wife's iphone 5 as a Guest Access. It worked fine. Then we upgraded to iPhone 7's in Spring, 2019. We're running IOS 13.2.3 on both 7's, and Arlo App 2.11.1 on both 7's, and have all of the problems everyone is having. One particular issue is that I stopped getting In/Out notifications. I decided to turn off my iPhone 7, take out the sim card and put it into the iPhone 5 which was not being used and was not active in Arlo's geofencing. It was still shown but "unchecked". The 5 is running IOS 10.3.4!!! I had to upgrade the Arlo app to 2.11.1 on the iPhone 5. So I then went out for a drive with both my 5 and my wife's 7. Both apps were closed but both have Location Services on Always as well as Background Refresh. I got out of the HomeGeofencing zone, and I got a Notification that I'm Away and house is Armed!! I drove a bit, stopped the car, opened the App on the 5, and it showed my phone and my wife's Away!. Closed the App, drove back home, and when I got in the Home Zone, I got a Notification that I'm in the Home Zone and the system is Disarmed!!! Both devices show at Home. So the problem is clearly a result of IOS 13, but its related to the MAIN PHONE, not the phone that was Granted Access. This is confirmed because I'm using my old iPhone 5 on IOS 10.3.4 which Grants Access to the account, and my wife's is on iPhone 7 on IOS 13, and Arlo Geofencing is working properly. So who knows what the deal is with IOS 13, and who knows why it only affects the Main Phone granting access to the others, but that's where the trouble is. NOW, someone at ARLO needs to follow this up and fix it, because Apple is not going to fix it just for ARLO.

This is really interesting. If it is working as you suggest here, it means Arlo on your wife’s iPhone actually is receiving the location information from iOS...and is also reporting it to Arlo’s cloud servers. What is not happening is the interaction with the app (or perhaps servers) to do the notification and change the mode. Somehow those tasks are linked to the the owner account and how that account communicates with the cloud servers. Either by opening the app on a current version of iOS, or using an older version of iOS on the owners phone. Very interesting. I hope Arlo’s partner gets a copy of your post forwarded to them. It might help them narrow this down.

AncientGeek · ‎2019-12-06

@wsscott wrote:

Sounds like a reasonable conclusion. Ultimately its something Apple did with IOS, who knows what it was, but that change in IOS affects Arlo and maybe other apps out there.

Yes. It is widely discussed that Apple changed how location services work on iOS 13. As others have posted, it is up to app developers to use the beta test phase and all of their upfront information about upcoming releases, to modify their code to keep up with changes to the operating system. This is standard operating procedure for all operating systems. They evolve to become more secure or offer new services and the app that run on them must also evolve or perish.

BillTHollins · ‎2019-12-06

Good thoughts, but not quite right. In my case main phone is samsung/android. No issues. My wife is iPhone with ios 13.2. She has to switch on app every time. Once switched on if I leave geofence works, or if I am already out it immediately goes armed. It is all to do with ios putting app to sleep. Agree with all the miriad of comments, it is arlo app interaction with ios. And also agree the poor folk in support don't do themselves any favours by cut and paste response.

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