End Of Life Policy

[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

[duggie349]

625 initiated  messages on the EOL email and countless replies.  I doubt Arlo is listening. 

[DannyBearAgain]

@duggie349 

There is no reason for Arlo to listen since those impacted will be non subscribers and hence no revenue loss.

The hit to arlo will be a loss of reputation, integrity, and reliability. This will no doubt fade over time when they restart their marketing strategy under a different brand.

For those unaware, you need to post in this thread again to receive the new post emails.

[GK1960]

Are you able to perhaps share some of the info that you put together for the ACCC. Also have you sent Arlo customer support an email as well? Perhaps share that content as well, make it easier for others to copy paste and perhaps get a bit more traction.

[jjkeebler]

It is unacceptable to shut down (EOL, End of Life) Arlo Pro2 cameras and cloud services.  The cameras do not work without the cloud services.  Making the cameras valueless.  I paid over $500.00 for the camera system, which is not a trivial amount of money.  Also the 4 year lifecycle is way too short, should be 6-8 years.  There was no input from the long-term customers on this decision.  Very bad business practice.  Heck, the Pro2 system works better and is more reliable than the Ultra system.  Please rescind this decision to do EOL on your products.

[KremmenUK]

I remember Y-Cam doing similar a few years ago and they seem to have dropped off the planet as they never appear in any reviews or searches.

I will never be forced into any subscription model as there are plenty of other cameras that have motion detection and streaming facility without subscription.

With this new 'Matter' protocol I expect more Smartthings compatible devices so I can also have geofencing.

Bad business practice to cripple working devices. I feel for those who have dozens of devices that must have cost thousands only to be cast aside.

[jpottaway]

@GK1960 Australian centric chat about it here.  Great ACCC response there, mine was very similar but have only had my Pro 2s for a little under 3 years.  They were still being sold here first half 2020!

https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/thread/90x12482?p=2

[Technojames]

I have submitted a refund request to the store I purchased my original Arlo 2 camera and base station pack.

I expect they will push back but will advise on the outcome here. If they do push back will be going to my local consumer regulatory (NSW Department of Fair Trading in Australia) and pursue a refund.

This wont cover me for the additional 3 cameras I have subsequently purchase plus the batteries and accessories. But it should be enough to make a dent in an alternate product.

[MichaelRo]

Your state’s attorney general  

[MichaelRo]

Your state’s attorney general  

[MichaelRo]

Just found this active document in their website. Updated December 2022 and clearly states that you will continue to have 7 day free cloud storage without a subscription.

https://kb.arlo.com/000062312/What-options-will-I-have-when-the-Arlo-Smart-3-month-trial-plan-ends 

[AJ007]

Since receiving the EOL email, I am also seeking alternatives. Arlo will just "shoot itself in the foot." They are not a premium product but everything has now changed towards creating revenue streams for them at the detriment of the client. How can cameras that will be reaching their EOL this year be sold during FY'22 for hundreds of euros as new cameras; shops should have told customers! This is . simply disgraceful by Arlo - them trying to off load old redundant stocks.

I am already looking at "ditching" all my Arlo equipment on Ebay while I can still get a few dollars and change to "Ubiquity" a premium product.

[ArloWTF]

Thanks for that link, I jst took a screenshot as I won't be surprised if that disappears. Also, good on you for posting FTC and Consumer Protection links. Everyone needs to do these annoying steps to gain any traction.

I don't have time to read through 26 pages right now, but hopefully there's some folks who have lots of followers in social media posting about this. I've read a few "articles" and most just say the fact that they're shutting it down. There's no commentary, so what's the point of the "article"? I did see a couple where there's opinion. We need many more of those.

Also, Best Buy and Costco is where anyone who bought from those 2 big stores should start filing complaints. We need the big guns to fight with us.

I only see this going a couple ways, Arlo backtracks and does some sort of longer period of time with 7 day cloud or offers a discount. Or, based on they're money grab, they obviously need it and will go under from the bad press. I'm good with it either way at this point.

[StephenB]

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@Jhallman wrote:

not sure where you got the Jan 2024 date for end of cloud storage it's pretty clear in the linked doc.....

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See https://kb.arlo.com/000063018/Arlo-Legacy-Cameras-End-of-Life

The following Arlo Services for the above products will be moved to EOL on January 1, 2024: 

• Arlo system notification emails
• E911
• Free 7-day rolling cloud storage

There does appear to be a discrepancy on the end of storage date between the email that was sent and the KB article.

[StephenB]

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@stevedixon312 wrote:

 As a retired comms engineer I have been a loyal supporter of Netgear since it first appeared in 1996, but the sudden announcement os EOL for many cameras is making me rethink!

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Nothing to do with Netgear, since they divested Arlo back in 2018.

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@stevedixon312 wrote:

The documentation is silent about VMB4540 being compatible with my Arlo Q (which operates without a base station) so is anyone has any ideas about off line (or "Direct Storage" to use Arlo's term) for the Arlo Q, that would be useful to many?

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The compatibility list isn't silent, it begins by saying the Q can't be paired with a base.

• https://kb.arlo.com/000062284/Arlo-SmartHub-and-Base-Station-Compatibility

So direct access to local storage isn't an option for the Q.

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@stevedixon312 wrote:

Meanwhile I will consider the $179Au for a VMB4540 which will allow me to store recordings from my VMC3030s off-line.

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Payback compared to a multicamera annual subscription would be 18 months, and about 13 months for a monthly subscription.  Just something to factor into your thinking, especially if you are thinking about switching vendors anyway.

Direct Access has quite a few limitations, IMO it is not a great experience.

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@stevedixon312 wrote:

Interestingly Arlo and its retail partners are still selling Arlo Qs

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Where are you seeing this?  Can you post a link?

I've seen some used legacy cameras for sale in the US, but none are being sold by Arlo.

[jhemphill]

I just found out about their EOL plans, and I did some checking. They stopped making the Pro2 model back in 2019, and the EOL isn't for another year (January 1, 2024) (last page in this PDF), and while it's a year longer than the 4-year lifecycle you're thinking, it's short of the 6-8 year cycle that you'd like (perhaps you received old (but brand new) stock). But at least we have another year before the Pro2 cameras are no longer functional.

Too bad Arlo doesn't have a upgrade system in place where we could upgrade our cameras / base stations to newer models at a discount. 

[Jhallman]

Thanks for posting the link.  Only concern I have is that this document from Dec 7 predates the announcement Jan 2 and is focussed on a different policy, i.e. end of a free subscription trial which is not the subject of the Jan 2 EOL letter.  This link is clearly the policy which led many of us to purchase the Arlo Pro and Pro2 cameras and the EOL letter is like the rug pull we are complaining about.  My gut tells me the EOL letter is more relevant and is demonstrating their intent to cancel the long standing policy outlined in the Dec 7 posting.  Sure would be nice if someone from Arlo would weigh in and clarify on this forum.

[DaveWoj]

@StephenB 

Are you figuring $9.99 subscription or the new $13.00 subscription?

Meanwhile I will consider the $179Au for a VMB4540 which will allow me to store recordings from my VMC3030s off-line.

Payback compared to a multicamera annual subscription would be 18 months, and about 13 months for a monthly subscription.  Just something to factor into your thinking, especially if you are thinking about switching vendors anyway.

Direct Access has quite a few limitations, IMO it is not a great experience.

[ExArloUser69]

I have to hand it to Arlo, this is some real evil genius level $h!t here. They are purging their entire original customer base in one fell swoop and all under the guise of "end of technology life." As I see it, if you are an original customer you have the following options:

1.) Cave-In: You can cave-in and pay for a subscription. But even if you do, you'll still receive no firmware or software updates and support and your cameras MAY work for some unspecified period into the future until they push the "BRICK" button and cripple your system permanently. Very enticing since they are taking former "freeloaders" and converting them to a new revenue stream.

2.) Cave-In and Upgrade Equipment: The prospect of this one makes Arlo management squirt a little pee in excitement. CHA-CHING!

3.) Survivors: The survivors will just try to keep using their existing systems from a usb drive until Arlo, little by little, suck all the remaining useful life from them and eventually throw the switch killing access to their app. Sounds like fun.

4.) Bailers: The most butt-hurt of us will just take our toys and stomp away from the game by chucking our Arlo cameras and moving to a new vendor/platform. Again, Arlo management will smile because they are not actually losing revenue here, since all of us OG customers were just "freeloading" and utilizing resources without paying for them to begin with. This is exactly what Arlo wants us to do.

All Arlo has to do is survive a brief period of bad PR and they purge their entire customer base of the early-adopters and supporters who paid for this company to build itself into what it has become today. Not a bad trade-off from their point of view.

[DaveWoj]

@MichaelRo

Now that's interesting because I had the same article updated from July.

That right there is a game changer since it was only a few weeks ago that clearly states free 7 day cloud.

That's very recent and shows that they changed the policy 3 weeks later.

Apprentice

‎2023-01-04 03:41 AM

Just found this active document in their website. Updated December 2022 and clearly states that you will continue to have 7 day free cloud storage without a subscription.

https://kb.arlo.com/000062312/What-options-will-I-have-when-the-Arlo-Smart-3-month-trial-plan-ends 

[StephenB]

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@DaveWoj wrote:

@MichaelRo

Now that's interesting because I had the same article updated from July.

That right there is a game changer since it was only a few weeks ago that clearly states free 7 day cloud.

That's very recent and shows that they changed the policy 3 weeks later.

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There's no disagreement from anyone (including Arlo) that they've changed the policy.  The contention here is instead about whether that change was right or legal.  As I've said before, I am not commenting on that.

Since the facts themselves are not in dispute, I'm not seeing much reason to capture the history.  But you could try https://archive.org/web/ if you want to scroll through the past.  Note that pre-divestiture stuff would be on the Netgear site.

FWIW, they are clearly still updating the various KB articles, so it would not be surprising to find some that still reflect the old policy.

[DaveWoj]

@ExArloUser69 

#4.

I agree that Arlo loses nothing. But, there has to be tens of thousands of bailers that will never invest in future products.

I've researched some of the other top cloud based cameras and unfortunately I still keep going back to Arlo's new cameras for some of the features (one being triggering other cameras)

Many of those other cameras seem clunky except for maybe the Nest which also isn't cheap and has it's problems too.

Eufy doesn't just specialize in cameras. They sell vacuum cleaners, pet water fountains etc. I don't like that.

They all have subscriptions so we just can't get away from that.

[antkho]

I will just run over the Arlo junks with my truck.

RIP Arlo.

[DaveWoj]

@StephenB 

There's no disagreement from anyone (including Arlo) that they've changed the policy. The contention here is instead about whether that change was ethical or legal. As I've said before, I am not commenting on that.

I guess my point is that as recent as 3 weeks ago, people were still buying some of these cameras based on that policy.

It doesn't take a very smart business person to to figure out that if you "know" there is a policy change coming in 3 weeks, you either don't post the updated article or you delete all the articles from your website.

These people aren't very intelligent Stephen.

[Sye46]

The CEO is addressing the issue on twitter

https://mobile.twitter.com/mbmcrae/with_replies

[kcaito89]

So disappointed in Arlo. I have been building my system for years - I still have an original hub and a mix of cameras from the original to a Pro 3. If I have to buy a whole new system I will look elsewhere. So sad. I loved my original Arlo. ☹️