Arlo Secure 4.0 design issues

[Fledge]

ARLO Secure 4.0­

Where to begin: This interface was not created to be user friendly.  As a developer of end-user customer interfaces, it appears to me that this design was not developed with the input from a GUI (graphical user interface) expert and actual user representatives.

1. FEED: data feed is a technical term, data is transmitted to the base station or to the users WI-FI which in turn is sent to the cloud. A LIBRARY is what a user views when looking at the data. Please rename it to Library or View Data, etc.
2. FEED: viewing the data is excruciating: Scrolling through hundreds of videos instead of seeing the thumbnails of multiples on one screen.  Nowhere is it obvious that you can go to the calendar and select a date you wish to see.
3. FEED: the DELETE function is laborious.  Why would you remove the function to select all and delete all?  Deleting one at a time is ridiculous.  To delete on my Arlo is even worse.  Delete a single item, and then follow up with another step to confirm delete!
   1. There has been an ongoing issue with deleted files repopulating into the library.  I suspect that this problem could not easily be corrected, therefore you are forcing the user to delete one item at a time.   It is not acceptable.
4. ROUTINES: Is this a term that intuitively tells the user where to go to ARM & Disarm?  ARMaway and ARMHome?  What is wrong with the original ARM ALL , Disarm ALL, with the ability of disarming an individual camera?  That was intuitive.
5. DASHBOARD and DEVICES:  Let’s have one device screen where we can ARM all, DISARM all, activate a live feed, change settings for a device.  Not sure what or how you want to display widgets, just name it appropriately.
6. Widgets:  How many end users know what a WIDGET is or how to write a rule??? Come up with a better term and perhaps provide a list of “common rules” for a user to select from.  Do you really want customers writing rules and then asking support for assistance because it does not work as expected??
7. USER GUIDE: There are multiple links on ARLO regarding 4.0, if you search for them.  Where is a comprehensive manual to assist the users?  What I have read so far has been minimally helpful.  For instance, when reading about ARM home and ARM away the document says you can still select Arm All or Disarm All!
8. SETUP of new cameras: Purchased two 2 PRO 5 cameras to add to our PRO 3’s and during the setup it forced us to install the new software.  There was a learn more button, however the GUI would not let us select it. Set up would not proceed unless you selected OK.  What a surprise to then see all these new “enhancements”

I hope these comments are passed on to the appropriate department.  They obviously need better requirements, better end user involvement in user interface design and testing. I am not faulting your developers; I am faulting your processes. This software is not even ready for Beta testing.  If this software has not been fully rolled out, why are we forced to download with the install of a new camera and why can we not fall back to the previous version?

[JamesC]

We're continuing to collect and monitor the feedback users are posting about the new 4.x experience. I will pass all the details of the topics being posted here to the development team for consideration.

JamesC

[JamesC]

Fledge,

Thank you for the feedback. I will pass this along to the development team.

JamesC

[DogWatchMe]

Thanks for posting these comments.  Very nice thoughtful.  I really appreciate it and I sincerely hope that the Arlo product team, and Arlo Engineering teams, take these comments seriously.

Regarding the quality of the Arlo 4.0 release, I keep calling it a Beta release.  In my opinion it was definitely not ready for prime time.  It's a real shame because while using Arlo Version 3, with several Arlo products, I was extremely impressed.  Not that I've "upgraded" to Alro Version 4, I find myself continually complaining about it.  Seriously, I read many professional reviews before buying into Arlo H/W and S/W; they sold me on the products.  I would bet that those professional reviews would not be so good at this point.  Please Arlo, take these comments and do something great!!  The ball is in your court.

[Stevewins]

I’m not sure what platform you’re using your 4.0x app on, but nothing that you said rings true for iOS and iPadOS.  The app is designed extremely well UI wise, and I find it to be one of the best camera apps out there. Unfortunately it doesn’t always perform as designed and has bugs galore that take way too long to fix. 

[Fledge]

I should have mentioned in my first post that I am using the latest versions of IOS on my iPhone and iPad.

[DogWatchMe]

I'm no GUI expert, so I won't get into nitty-gritty details regarding terminology and such.  However, I do have feedback from my experience using Arlo Version 4 SW, especially after using Arlo Version 3 SW.

1. I agree that viewing the data is excruciating in version 4.  In version 3 I could swipe right, and swipe left, to go between images.  I thought this was great.  In version 4, I can't do that anymore; it's now quite painful.
2. In version 3, I could delete a full day at a time.  I did this all of the time.  In version 4, videos have to be deleted 1 at a time.  In version 4, I just stopped deleting videos.  It's too painful, I don't have the time.  Please bring back some better features for deleting.  I suspect the servers will start to fill up with videos as we will all stop deleting them.
3. I do agree that in version 3, videos I had previously deleted would show up again.  This always confused me.  Some kind of syncing problem?
4. I am loving the new paradigm of "Arm Away", "Arm Home", and "Standby".  This makes a lot of sense to me, and my Home Security Keypad H/W matches the Dashboard.  I find these 3 categories very useful.  So, Kudos to Arlo on this.  
5. Yes, I really wanted a user manual.  I've already posted about that issue.  Please consider this request.
6. I was really upset when installing the Home Security System that the updated SW would change the paradigm so drastically.  There was certainly no warning at all.  In general, I always upgrade to the latest and greatest SW, on everything I use, all of the time.  However, this (Version 3 to Version 4) was a monumental surprise!!  I was not prepared and have been fighting issues ever since.
7. Yes, in my opinion Version 4 was released prematurely.  If it wasn't so, I wouldn't still be fighting issues. I was always happy with all of my Arlo H/W & S/W under Version 3.  So, Kudos to Arlo for that.  Arlo teams, please work on making all of us users happy again, by fixing Version 4 issues promptly.  Thanks.

[DAltom]

This new update is in need of serious improvement.

The update takes away any customization or ability ti create your own modes. With the previous version, I had a mode set for windy days to cut down on false alerts which trigger the camera and use battery life. So if I’m at work, and the wind starts picking up, I just switched it to windy mode and reduced the sensitivity of the cameras with one touch. I can’t do that anymore. I have to go to the setting of the camera and change the sensitivity manually and change it back when the wind goes down at the end of the day. 
We have also lost the ability to delete several video clips by choosing to “select all” and delete with one touch. Now, each video has to be individually deleted. 
when viewing a video, you used to be able to flip to the left to view the next one but you can’t do that anymore either. You have to back out of the video you’re watching and select another one. I know that is a minor issue, but it was very nice to have and I was used to having it, but the so-called upgrade took it away. Why?

The only reason why I upgraded my phone to the new version is because my wife upgraded her phone. She has a iPhone 14 and mine is a 12. The new user interface comes with the iPhone 13. My phone has the old in interface, even though the software version showed to be the same. 
The problem I had was that I could not add her as a friend and allow her to view our cameras on her phone because of the interfaces being different. Keep in mind, I did not know this was the culprit. Only After pouring over this forum for two hours, one person finally figured out that the old UI does not work with the new UI. 
apparently you have to tell the software you want to install a security system, and that will cause the app to upgrade to the new UI.

once it did that I was able to add her as a friend, and she could view my cameras. But once I started to use the new software, I was blown away by how incredibly inconvenient it is.

as I said, functionality and quality of life have been drastically reduced. It’s as if the people who created it, do not understand these cameras very well. 
another issue that I noticed was that my base station no longer shows up as a device. With the old version, I could reboot my base station from the app, but that is no longer the case. It’s just not there. 
so if you were having problems adding someone as a “friend” , I have just outlined the solution. 
someone, please fix this app!
 

[Fledge]

Thank you for pointing out that you can no longer swipe left when viewing videos.  The need to back out and select the next video is such a waste of time (goes along with deleting one item at a time) 

[RegularJoe]

Fledge, your initial post is very well written... explains every problem I'm having, although I use Android.

•   Today a new problem cropped up.
•   I am unable to delete any videos. I go through the process select to delete and nothing happens... the video stays right there and a yellow banner appears at the top of the screen that says "internal error"...  the video remains in place,

[Stevewins]

This is strange.  I have 4.0.4 on iOS and iPadOS and I don’t see any of these issues you guys are describing. I can still create new modes, swipe left and right on the clips, see my base stations in the app and reboot them from the app, select all and delete etc.  Are you guys in the US?  Most of the terminology/function labels you’ve mentioned don’t even exist in my app. It looks pretty much the same as the old app.  My phone is an iPhone X, could that make a difference?  I don’t have the Arlo alarm system, I only have 3 bases and 10 cameras, could that be the reason that you seem to have a totally different app than me?  

[Stevewins]

Well I just checked the App Store and there is a version 4.1 available now. I’m afraid to update mine after reading your posts.

[StephenB]

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@Stevewins wrote:

This is strange.  I have 4.0.4 on iOS and iPadOS and I don’t see any of these issues you guys are describing.

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The 4.x app actually has two completely different user interfaces.

The new one has "Feed" as a menu option on the main screen.  The old one says "Library".  It sounds like you have the old one.

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@Stevewins wrote:

 I don’t have the Arlo alarm system, I only have 3 bases and 10 cameras, could that be the reason that you seem to have a totally different app than me?  

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That is part of it.  If you onboard the home security system or the Pro 5s, then you are migrated to "Feed".

[GPSBait]

OMG. How do I get back to library 3.0?

Feed 4.0 is terrible for my use. 

[Stevewins]

Thanks for the info. I upgraded to 4.1 but thankfully I still have the old UI. It sounds like I shouldn’t mess with it anymore, I like the old design and wasn’t planning on adding a 5S or alarm sensors.

[jguerdat]

Be aware that sooner or later ALL accounts will be migrated to the 4.x UI. Beat the rush and get it over with because eventually you'll be forced to do so.

[Stevewins]

How would one get it over with  if they don’t have a Pro 5s or security system sensors or components.  

[jguerdat]

Assuming you're in the US (other countries currently don't have the ability to do this), use the app to add either a Pro 5 or security system. You don't need to have either since you just are migrating. The first step during the process is to migrate after which you just cancel the installation.

[GPSBait]

How do you "un migrate"?

[jguerdat]

You can't. Once on 4.x UI, that's it. Sooner or later you'll be migrated anyways so I suggest just getting used to it (and any pain it may cause).

[GPSBait]

Good idea…. Push a product to unwilling users, a paid product no less, which removes lots of existing functions and changes up workflow with no chance to try a beta experience.

We utilize the Go 2 product line for rapid fire surveillance deployments, and the lack of being able to quickly go from video to video with a swipe when an alarm comes in is a pain.  Typically we have 4 different angles and use the “AI” person detection, in addition to several other PIR sensors scattered throughout the property we are watching - and when you have to exit, go back, click, play, etc - sure slows things down and delays our mission.

And who thought not being able to delete more than 1 video at a time was a good idea?

Not even feature “requests”, as these were all available “options” in the prior v.3

Ugggg

[Stevewins]

I think I’ll wait until I’m forced to upgrade, I won’t like losing commonly used functions like scrolling thru the videos with a simple swipe, or rebooting the base from the app. Maybe they’ll update the new UI to be more user friendly before we’re all forced to switch over,

[StephenB]

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@GPSBait wrote:

OMG. How do I get back to library 3.0?

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Unfortunately you can't.

[snydeje]

This app is just unbelievable that it was released, You loose track of what videos you are viewing. You cannot swipe to through to the next clip. You click download and it closes the clip you are viewing and brings you right back to the beginning. This app is horrible. Without the ability to swipe through the clips it makes it completely unusable to me.

[thesaint580]

Can’t agree more that we need have the ability to create custom modes for various situations and not just 3 modes that’s given now. Also, the ability to not swipe left to view earlier videos is going backward in development. 

[GPSBait]

I went and bought an iPad pro to try the iOS interface and it's worse. 

Still can't swipe, but can't even X off the video to get back to the video reel... I've had to close the app and reopen it each time. 

So it's equally terrible on Android and iOS. 

Before I could navigate 100s of videos overnight in a few minutes, now it takes most of the day. 

No ability to delete or save multiple files at once, can't switch between videos, etc. 

Come on Arlo.