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

[ARLO_EOL_]

Got another EOL related question.

They declared my device EOL and told me something about various dates.  Are they just going to brick my devices and cancel my account?

[DrexelLake]

I'm in the same boat.  I would be fine with just one day storage.  But I won't be buying anything Arlo once these stop working.  They work fine.  This company has joined the disposable policy for profit.  I don't need nor will I ever need a subscription.  We paid you for cameras, that should be enough.  It's no wonder people are turning against corporate greed. 

[JerzeyJohn]

@DrexelLake totally agree. Additionally, only some products will have their EOLs extended. Mine will still enter EOL on 1 July 2023. Therefore, these products are sure to still degrade over time. The EOL extension should have been applied to all customers regardless of which system they owned, so everyone at least had a reasonable timeframe to receive this notification. Sorry, but five months’ notice in informing me they are junking my perfectly good system is still unacceptable. 

[parker2]

I have not seen any competent response from Arlo on my question, how can you EOL a product that was for sale by your channel partners (new, not refurbished) on the day you announced EOL.   You cannot pretent your product in channel sales inventory and available for sale is not your problem.   I bought my new (not refurbished) VMC4030 a year before you announced EOL on the product.

So what is Arlo's response to this question?

[maryellc]

I received the EOL policy email on January 1.  While the email referenced the link to the policy, which contained this statement:  "Offers, discounts, and coupons to purchase newer Arlo products may be given", there was NOTHING in the email or policy itself that provided any discount code, coupon or offer.

Having just purchased (in 2016) 4 cameras that were now part of the EOL policy, I purchased 4 newer models from Amazon for a cost of over $700 total, so I could eventually continue to take advantage of the 7-day rolling cloud storage at no cost when my existing cameras hit EOL in April.

Today I received an updated EOL policy email and imagine that - enough people complained that they rescinded some of the policy.  This email also offered several discounts, indicating they 'extended' the discounts offered in the original email.  However, the discounts are good only from Arlo.com and not through supported resellers such as Amazon.

So tell me, Arlo Customer Service - who is going to reimburse me for the $700+ I spent on new cameras on Amazon, merely due to your stupid original EOL policy?  Or how quickly will you reach out to me and reimburse me the 10% you're now offering?  I've got 9 cameras in total, haven't yet opened or installed the new ones (was waiting for EOL to hit to take advantage of the included free 90-day subscription period), and am now past the Amazon return window. 

Very, very disappointed in this entire thing...

[Rduffus67]

Actually with other subscription companies they give you the camera for free so Arlo is double dipping 

[nlokeva]

👍

Power to the people indeed!  

[StephenB]

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@ARLO_EOL_ wrote:

They declared my device EOL and told me something about various dates.  Are they just going to brick my devices and cancel my account?

---

No.  Cameras will still work, and will get security updates for one year after the EoL date.  7-day cloud storage will continue indefinitely.

Best to read the EoL policy and the legacy camera KB article.

• https://downloads.arlo.com/images/PDFs/EOL_Policy/arlo-end-of-life-policy-021023.pdf
• https://kb.arlo.com/000063018/Arlo-Legacy-Cameras-End-of-Life

[dentach]

Agreed

[Nancy_L]

Nice to know they will honor one of the terms of my purchase by providing 7 day cloud storage. They also promised email notifications and that is one of the reasons I spent all this money on their product. It is a very important part of my security system and it needs to be kept. Step up to the plate Arlo!

[Donna888]

I have 4 Arlo Essential cameras. My cameras are not recording the free 7 day cloud storage. They were up until about 2 months ago. I’ve reset my cameras. Removed and reinstalled them. Tried everything I can think of. Do the essentials not record on the cloud any longer?

[voodoo12]

How could Arlo be trusted again? Once I have received Arlo's email notifying me that my 1K+ equipment is now useless pile of junk and my cloud storage begin showing nothing, I have pulled the plug on Arlo.

And why should I be worried about Arlo "7 days" storage if I have purchased their proprietary base station with external storage attached? I should have access to my entire local storage, not just "7 days". But I was not able to access the local storage whatsoever.

Nice try Arlo. "Fool me twice - shame on me". Like I said I have pulled the plug and switched to another solution. Now I have everything what I need: much better quality zoom/pan camera with much better night vision, better solar charging, much stable wifi connection, local storage, no monthly fees. And all this for a fraction of what I have paid for my Arlo stuff.

I will be recovering compensation from Arlo for making my Arlo equipment useless thru their unfair and reckless business practice. I am not interested in Arlo stuff discounts

Whoever here is from Arlo staff - feel free to reach out to me to settle this without going thru long way with filing a complain with DA office of Santa Clara county, and California Department of consumer affairs, etc.

[Nancy_L]

@voodoo12 

What system did you buy?

[DannyBearAgain]

@Donna888 ,

the essential cameras  did not have the 7days free cloud storage, the last model to be offered it was the arlo pro2.

it is likely that the trial subscription ended .

[CM862]

To say I am unhappy with Arlo's end of life policy for my VMC4030 cameras is an understatement.  A little over 4 years ago I spend $900 on cameras base stations and accessories. The e-mail said the cameras were released in 2016, but I did not purchase mine until the end of 2018.  Now I  find out that the e-mail notifications will no longer be supported.  I am not able to have my phone with me while I am at work, so it now means l will be unable to receive notification while I am working.  I work different shifts (days and nights) so this means that the cameras will be pretty much useless to me, as I will not know that I am getting an alert.  The e-mail notification was one on the main reasons I purchased the Arlo brand.  As soon an I can get some money saved up I will be looking to purchased a different brand of cameras. Very disappointed with Arlo/Netgear!!!  

[DannyBearAgain]

Same, I use the email notifications to wake me when asleep as the push notification are not configurable to do this.

When email notifications become  EOL I will need to get the tin cans out and string them around my property so they will wake me.

What a joke for me thinking arlo would look after me.

[StephenB]

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@Donna888 wrote:

I have 4 Arlo Essential cameras. My cameras are not recording the free 7 day cloud storage. They were up until about 2 months ago. I’ve reset my cameras. Removed and reinstalled them. Tried everything I can think of. Do the essentials not record on the cloud any longer?

---

Essentials (like all newer camera models since the Ultra in 2018) don't have free 7 day cloud storage (never did).

Your cloud storage ended when the trial ended.  To get cloud storage now, ,you will need a subscription. 

[KevMo2023]

Hey @voodoo12 

what new system did you buy? curious because what you detail your new system has included, is everything I need. and I also do not trust Arlo moving forward so looking into other options.

thanks!

[Thumpers]

I agree on cutting out Arlo. But Ring has been proven to give footage of cameras to government entities without permission. 

[Thumpers]

I hear you. I have recommended Arlo also. I’m done with them. This is just wrong. As a customer I expect my purchased devices to work as long as they can naturally work, without being bricked. Arlo will lose this lawsuit they are setting in motion. What a breech. They will lose me forever after this poor decision. Arlo your product and software generally works decent. I hope you come to your senses. Time to short Arlo stock. 

[StephenB]

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@Thumpers wrote:

As a customer I expect my purchased devices to work as long as they can naturally work, without being bricked.  

---

While I get the anger, I think it's important to be accurate on this.  Arlo isn't bricking any devices (and never said they were).  They are just going to stop updating the firmware.  The revised policy says they'll still provide security updates for one year after the EoL date for the camera.  So July 2024 for some legacy cameras, January 2026 for the rest.

They also changed the policy so that the 7-day free cloud storage that legacy camera owners have will continue indefinitely.  That was clearly in reaction to the customer complaints here (and elsewhere).

[Nancy_L]

@StephenB 

What about getting rid of the email notifications that were promised on our purchase. We rely on those to be notified of alerts. We will get email notifications alot of the time when we never get an Arlo notification from the app. We can also have friends and family emailed when we are out of town. Giving us back the 7 day cloud storage is a step back in the right direction. Now go the rest of the way and provide email notifications.

[StephenB]

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@Nancy_L wrote:

Now go the rest of the way and provide email notifications.

---

I don't work for Arlo, so this is not something under my control. 

As I've said earlier on this thread, I believe that all customers affected by this new policy have a right to be heard.  My responses here have been limited to answering questions on paths forward, and in a couple cases correcting inaccurate information.  

[SG123]

Yet again, another greedy company changing policies to jack up profits AFTER selling products under false pretenses.  Shame on Arlo!  I will NEVER buy another product from this company because they cannot be trusted.

I've read the modification posted in an attempt to mollify us disgruntled users - I call on everyone to use your head and vote with your feet.  Abandon Arlo and ALL companies that engage in usury and abusive practices.

[voodoo12]

I am experimenting with Reolink. I now have a few solar-powered wifi zoom/tilt cams where I need event-based recordings. I also have PoE cams at the areas where I need 24/7 recording. No fees. Everything is recorded locally. But if you need cloud recording - they have monthly plans.

The solution that I have picked works for me. It might not work for other people. But I am done with Arlo. They cannot be trusted.