End of Life policy? End of Customers.

[simonjf]

I have just received an email about the End Of Life policy. If this is actually what is going to happen then I need to follow up with all my friends and family, social media connections to advocate against Arlo, and search for an alternative company and service, likely starting my own online storage service for them with appropriate security cameras.

Additionally, contacts at Arlo seem to be designed to prevent actual communication - which has the stink of a company that hates its customers.

[JamesC]

New, updated information is now available regarding the EoL policy that is very relevant to much of the discussion taking place here in this community thread. These changes will allow Arlo legacy users who currently have 7-day storage service to continue receiving that service, uninterrupted.

I encourage you all to visit https://downloads.arlo.com/images/PDFs/EOL_Policy/arlo-end-of-life-policy-021023.pdf and read up on these changes.

Thank you,

JamesC

[JamesC]

Hello Arlo Community,

With the recently announced Arlo end-of-life policy, we understand many of you are seeking more clarity and a path forward after your device becomes end-of-life. In the coming days we will be reaching out to impacted users via email with special offers. Keep an eye out for those emails as they will contain more details about these offers and instructions on how to take advantage of them.

For those who may not have read this new policy or have questions about how this may impact you, I encourage you to take a look here: https://downloads.arlo.com/images/PDFs/EOL_Policy/arlo-end-of-life-policy-021023.pdf?cid=a&cid=a

If you've not received a discount offer via email, visit https://www.arlo.com/en-us/eol-offer-form.html and enter your email address, if your account is eligible you will then receive the discount offer via email.

Thank you,

JamesC

[TNKay]

I had just received an Arlo doorbell to go with the 4030 set that I just purchased two years ago. The doorbell was returned back today with the "reason for returning" listed as ARLO SUCKS and HATES THEIR CUSTOMERS. I have begun looking for a new security system. I'm also actively sharing about my experience across many platforms online. I encourage everyone who's been affected by this to do the same. I'm come across many people known as "legacy customers" with Blink and other systems who have been promised their included storage and support for the lifetime of their current devices. 

I will definitely join a class action suit. 

[AshTray900]

Give me a new base station and up to 5 free modern cameras full color HD that will hook right up to my existing mounts I’ll give you my serial numbers and I’ll sign a contract to have your services for a year or so. I’m a paying customer as is

so many ways this could be handled, they picked the worst option out of the gutter.

bite the bullet and invest in your current customers and you’ll get subscribers. Piss em off and you can kiss your business goodbye, don’t think this isn’t being noticed by customers with newer systems either, pretty soon this ugly truth will be tagged to your product name.

one google search and a potential buyer will move right along to the ring cameras.

[RBirch]

Very well put.

This absolutely is a bait a switch. It’s not fair to consumers who’ve invested substantial money based on their free cloud storage. In Canada there are bait and switch laws, which I will be checking into, and if applicable will be pursuing. I’d encourage everyone to do the same in their country as well.

This is unacceptable. These are expensive devices and people should not be put out like this.

[TNKay]

I had just received an Arlo doorbell to go with the 4030 set that I invested several hundred dollars in JUST TWO YEARS AGO.

I returned the Doorbell today, with the "reason for returning" listed as ARLO SUCKS and HATES THEIR CUSTOMERS. I have begun looking for a new security system. I'm also actively sharing about my experience across many platforms online. I encourage everyone who's been affected by this to do the same. I've come across many people known as "legacy customers" with Blink and other systems who have been promised their included storage and support for the lifetime of their current devices. 

I will definitely join a class action suit. Please share any links on this thread of folks who have begun the process so we can come together and rally support. 

Also...I'm struggling to get this posted because I'm getting an error message saying they are "detecting flooding". This is the second post I'm attempting to make today. How can that possibly be flooding? 

[ernie060415]

Like everyone else. I am beyond disappointed. I too have recommended many times Arlo to friends and family. Arlo is unclear on notifications.  Currently I have 3 Arlo Pro cameras and 2 Arlo Pro2 cameras.

"EOL devices may continue to be operated by the existing registered Arlo owners to livestream video from the camera, receive motion notifications on their smartphone, and store video clips locally with a compatible Arlo SmartHub or Base Station."

Will text notifications still work?  

They say no cloud storage. Does that mean if text alerts are still working, there is no way to view the reason for the alert?  What is a compatible Arlo Smart Hub or base station?  Is that what came with the system?

Beyond  upset in Virginia

[TNKay]

I don't think this is legal. I bought a set of 4030 cameras, base, security lights and a bridge just two years ago that's now being phased out. I got a great deal on the set but still invested several hundred dollars in it. I feel certain now that the great sale price on this set was given with known intention that this was coming soon. If so, that appears to be more than unethical. That's fraud. 

[antkho]

Whoever the executive making this business decision should be instantly fired. This is going to bankrupt the company and those who are working in this company should immediately be looking for other jobs. There are just so many competitors in the market who treat their customers as friends, not enemies.

Imagine a car manufacturer disables most of the features of your car after a few years while it is still running perfectly.

I highly regretted buying arlo, feel cheated and betrayed. I am already shopping for other brands, this is wasting my money.

[TeeJay2022]

Yes I agree with all your points, this being a cash grab. Unless Arlo provided some amazing new technology that no competitor offered, why would you buy Arlo anything now? When Amazon removed free storage from Blink, they allowed legacy devices to continue - it was only a cost for new users, with devices that had technologically improved. They did not pull an 'Arlo'. I personally will never buy new Arlo devices as (at any time) they could reduce EOL to 2-3 years, or increase cloud storage fees for any devices locked to 'their cloud'.

[gotascl]

Before applying the new EOL policy to Arlo products and leaving customers without the possibility of cloud storage for 7 days, loss of notifications, they must enable the subscription service for Chile!!

Is this something already fixed by Arlo?

[StephenACCC]

From the ACCC website for Australians:

Extra promises

If a business or manufacturer makes extra promises about the quality, condition, performance or characteristics of a product, they must meet these promises. This applies whether the promises are spoken or written.

These extra promises are legally known as express warranties.

Example

A consumer buys a kitchen knife. The business promises that it will stay sharp for 10 years. After 5 years, the knife is no longer sharp.

The consumer can claim that the knife doesn’t meet the express warranty.

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The box says "View, download & share cloud recordings from the past 7 days for free"

That is an express warranty. To withdraw this and re-offer it as a paid subscription seems illegal, but will need to run it by the ACCC and see what they say.

[MBasney]

Who did they divest Arlo to?

 Do you know?

[MBasney]

https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/2/23536194/arlo-eol-security-cameras-pro-baby-q-gen-3-lights-doorbel...

[Doug_Phoenix]

Just found this. Let's hope to see more!

Note the arbitration comments - fyi.

https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/2/23536194/arlo-eol-security-cameras-pro-baby-q-gen-3-lights-doorbel...

[MyIdea]

I also have Arlo pro  and Arlo pro 2 cameras with 7 day. I was rooked into getting a third camera thinking it had 7 days. Arlo pro 4 with security light.  Even the free trial never worked with Firefox or Chrome browsers.

FTC should look into false security claims too. Late or no alerts or video at times. Two step is forced and causes delays. for goodness sake at least give 3 days free video  

[StephenB]

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@MBasney wrote:

Who did they divest Arlo to?

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It became a public company (with its own stock, board of directors, etc).

[MBasney]

Sorry, I didn’t think about the word “divest” before I drafted my sleepy reply.

I’m sure shareholders customers are even more unhappy!

[DaveWoj]

Stephen,

I'm assuming you have been a longtime customer.

I started with the original Arlo, modified it (per the experts on this forum) so that I could hard wire power to it before they installed the USB port.

I would be more than happy to switch to another camera and take my $2,000 in losses if someone could recommend a good system with cloud service and it doesn't need to be more than a week of recordings.

I realize that I won't have a choice of free cloud since everyone has gone to subscription but I'm trying to get some of the same features, Stable Geofencing, Triggering and be able to have more than 5 cameras in an account (at separate locations) and not spend a fortune per camera for the subscription.

[Doug_Phoenix]

Hi all,

Someone else suggested I look at this:

Works with HomeKit. Local storage on an SSD card. No cloud.

[ildiavolorosso]

And now it's starting to get some press:

https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/2/23536194/arlo-eol-security-cameras-pro-baby-q-gen-3-lights-doorbel...

[Kevinintx]

The stock is traded under the symbol ARLO and well it is on a several year downward trend.  I can maybe see why they would do this as it does not look good.

[mikebsquared]

My 3 Arlo 3030 wireless cameras and Arlo Q have been great up to now and still work flawlessly. Arlo has been bombarding me with temporary discounted subscription plans. Now i know why, with the removal of the free 7 day storage plan and no ability to store locally with usb storage on my vmb 3000 hub my cameras have become no more than notification devices that an event has occurred. Unless i’m right on it i will more than likely never see what triggered the event. Its been good up to now, but with your forced obsolescence of my perfectly working cameras there are much better options for me right now. In fact i‘ve just purchased a Eufy system that has built in local storage so the choice of whether or not i want paid cloud storage is mine. Once loyal customer who would have bought Arlo products once mine had finally packed it in.

[BillLucier]

Eufy appears to have comparable systems, and are proudly non-subscription oriented.  Would not expect to see a end-of-life scam from them.

[BigGreenEgger]

I am also upset about this.  Like many others here, the 7-day cloud free access was one of the primary reasons why I bought the Arlo Pro cameras in the first place, and recently invested in their wired doorbell.  I did not want to invest in a product that required a monthly subscription, and was willing to pay for more for the cameras because of this.

I get that you cannot support a product forever but ending the 7-day policy while stating if you pay for a subscription you can keep the functionality is not right and as many others have stated, quite simply a cash grab - to get customers paying for subscriptions or to upgrade their cameras.

I was actually looking at upgrading my Arlo Pro cameras anyway to a more recent model, but this policy will make me think long and hard about putting my money into Arlo's products in the future.

I urge you to reconsider this policy and quickly change it before this has much more serious revenue impacts on your company.

[krissster]

I also will not ever purchase another Arlo product.  I will never recommend them to anyone.  There are many less expensive cameras that can do what Arlo products do.

[StephenB]

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@DaveWoj wrote:

Stephen,

I'm assuming you have been a longtime customer.

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I have been using Arlo for quite a while (and beta-tested VueZone back in the day).

But I am not directly impacted by this decision - I have a subscription, and my cameras mostly aren't on the EOL list (the few legacy cameras I still have running are only there so I can help other users troubleshoot).

So I am not weighing in on the decision itself, or commenting on other poster's opinions or experience with Arlo.  I've only tried to answer questions on possible paths forward (mostly on local storage) and correct some mis-information (for instance, the many folks who seem to think that Arlo is still part of Netgear).

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@DaveWoj wrote:

I would be more than happy to switch to another camera and take my $2,000 in losses if someone could recommend a good system with cloud service and it doesn't need to be more than a week of recordings.

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I don't have direct experience with other vendors' products,  so unfortunately I can't offer any recommendations.

I do think that (generally speaking) you do need to review the privacy policies in your research.  For instance, some companies will provide access to recordings to law enforcement w/o a subpoena.  People might (or might not) be ok with that, but you should certainly know about such policies ahead of time.

It also makes sense to consider how the vendor might be able to combine camera events with other information they already have - and then decide if you are comfortable with them having that much information about you.