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

[ExArloUser69]

@DaveWoj 

While I generally agree with your sentiment, I'll just say this.

Arlo has clearly done the math. They know that this action will drive away a large number of existing and future customers. I think they're taking this action because they've already decided that a large number of the original Arlo customers they are purging are averse to the subscription-model and wouldn't buy into it at any price they are willing to offer, so we are therefore, expendable in their eyes. 

In other words, it's a price they are clearly willing to have us pay.

[Jhallman]

Even though you are a Win 7 guy, you must be able to see the gaps in your points.  Win 7, released about 12 years ago, still works fine you just can't add new MS features to it and the hardware is incapable, in most instances, of handling the newer operating systems and peripherals.  Arlo cameras still work fine but:  

What does this mean to me when the services are moved to EOL? 
For users of the affected devices, free 7-day rolling cloud storage will no longer be available, and users will no longer receive email notifications for system issues such as low battery or motion detection.

Arlo is going to disable these features unless you start paying a monthly subscription fee, in which case they will turn them back on for you.  Since those are the three main features most people use on the Arlo, that is not, as you suggest, (mostly) maintaining the status quo.  

The sky is not falling but conflating this to Win7 being phased out is misleading.  BTW your home theater still works.

[DaveWoj]

@ExArloUser69 

From the comments I've been seeing, I don't think many users would just give up not having security cameras at all.

Sounds like most are going to take their business elsewhere but don't realize that they can't get away from a subscription for what they are used to having all these years.

They really don't have much of a choice as far as I can see.

[StephenB]

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@DaveWoj wrote:

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

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Arlo stopped manufacturing these models some years ago.  So people purchasing recently would be getting used cameras (or very old inventory), and not purchasing from Arlo.  Arlo has no control over third party sales.  FWIW, you can still find VueZone cameras for sale, even though Arlo shut that service down back in 2019.

But definitely bad news for anyone who just purchased, especially as the main reason for getting them was likely the 7-day free storage.

I agree that (given the decision), they should have communicated this better, and got all the KB articles, etc updated at once.  That includes the subscription price increase, which clearly was decided at the same time.  

[ExArloUser69]

@DaveWoj 

Once again, I agree. This industry, like so many others, is solidifying around a subscription-model that allows them to continually suck money out of your pocket. Unlike some posters on here, I actually have had an overwhelmingly positive experience with Arlo products up until now.

However, I believe what Arlo is doing here is at a minimum, morally and ethically wrong (if not even legally). The free 7-day Cloud service was an essential condition that enticed me to purchase into the Arlo platform in the first place.

The question I (and presumably, others) have to answer is: Do I reward them and pony up and buy into the Arlo subscription, or do I take my business elsewhere? 

[mamarcac]

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@StephenB wrote:

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Arlo stopped manufacturing these models some years ago.  So people purchasing recently would be getting used cameras (or very old inventory), and not purchasing from Arlo.  Arlo has no control over third party sales.  FWIW, you can still find VueZone cameras for sale, even though Arlo shut that service down back in 2019.

But definitely bad news for anyone who just purchased, especially as the main reason for getting them was likely the 7-day free storage.

I agree that (given the decision), they should have communicated this better, and got all the KB articles, etc updated at once.  That includes the subscription price increase, which clearly was decided at the same time.  

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The 7-day free cloud storage, per McRae's Twitter explanation, is being ended based on their cloud service etc. I don't think that's coming back, BUT, giving us direct USB access in the App for everyone with devices that were promised free 7-day cloud storage seems like a reasonable request from the customers that helped get Netgear/Arlo off the ground IMO.

[joeykraj]

The CEO on twitter mentions an offer email for legacy users.  Has anyone on this forum actually received an offer?  I have not.

[vantheaoa]

Ending the 7 day free cloud storage on pro cameras is so unfair.  I purchased the cameras in part because of the motion detection and storage.  Now they are practically useless.  I have contacted the attorney general's office of consumer protection in my state to inquire how to proceed with having the state investigate for unfair practices.  I'm also contacting an attorney who does consumer protection law.  This cannot be allowed.  I encourage others to call their attorney general's offices.  Each state AG has a consumer protection office (think opiod lawsuits and ponzi schemes).  This is 100% of the kind of thing they investigate. 

[ExArloUser69]

@joeykraj

I have not received anything. I'm pretty sure no one has. They are most likely formulating an "offer" as a response to the blowback they are receiving. Several tech journals and well-known sites are reporting on this as of yesterday.

[StephenB]

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@DaveWoj wrote:

@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. 

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$179/9.99 is about 17.9, so 18 months with the (new) annual subscription rate in Australia. Similarly, 179/13.99 is about 13.7, so 13 months at the new monthly rate.

A smarthub could be a reasonable path if you either have or are planning to some newer cameras.

But I personally don't think it's the best approach for the first generation VMC3030 models - taking into account the age of those cameras (~2014), and the warning that their features/services will decline as time goes on.  Just my opinion obviously.

[vantheaoa]

 I have contacted the attorney general's office of consumer protection in my state to inquire how to proceed with having the state investigate for unfair practices.  I'm also contacting an attorney who does consumer protection law.  This cannot be allowed.  I encourage others to call their attorney general's offices.  Each state AG has a consumer protection office (think opiod lawsuits and ponzi schemes).  This is 100% of the kind of thing they investigate. 

[vantheaoa]

Ending the 7 day free cloud storage on pro cameras is so unfair.  I purchased the cameras in part because of the motion detection and storage.  Now they are practically useless.  I have contacted the attorney general's office of consumer protection in my state to inquire how to proceed with having the state investigate for unfair practices.  I'm also contacting an attorney who does consumer protection law.  This cannot be allowed.  I encourage others to call their attorney general's offices.  Each state AG has a consumer protection office (think opiod lawsuits and ponzi schemes).  This is 100% of the kind of thing they investigate. 

[vantheaoa]

  I purchased the cameras in part because of the motion detection and storage.  Now they are practically useless.  I have contacted the attorney general's office of consumer protection in my state to inquire how to proceed with having the state investigate for unfair practices.  I'm also contacting an attorney who does consumer protection law.  This cannot be allowed.  I encourage others to call their attorney general's offices.  Each state AG has a consumer protection office (think opiod lawsuits and ponzi schemes).  This is 100% of the kind of thing they investigate. 

[Normandroy]

So the CEO is tweeting about this. But, wouldn't some of what he is now saying have been good to be included in the original email? Such as the "Arlo is creating offers for those impacted users that have expressed interest in upgrading to the latest technology and service experience (even though the EOL devices will continue to operate). More details will be shared ASAP.). This is no way to run a business. And, the rest of his twitter thread is complete gobble-do-**bleep**.

[PorkChop67]

Maybe a nice email to these folks?

[TNKay]

@StephenB 

I invested several hundred dollars in a brand new set from the Arlo store two years ago. They are now discontinuing support, and seven day cloud storage on the set that is in perfect working condition. 

[DaveWoj]

@StephenB

Well for right now, I'm going to milk the free 7 day as long as I can and If I see any good deals on the pro 4, I'll probably upgrade and install by the end of the year (and hope they don't EOL that camera soon after)

The one policy Arlo did change is that the $13 unlimited will work out ok for me since I have  3 locations (for now).

5 cameras on one account and 4 on another.

I can now consolidate all the cameras into one account.

Thanks Stephen

[DaveWoj]

@ExArloUser69 

Well as they say, the grass is always greener on the other side.

Until people find out that what they have now or upgrade is as good if not better than switching and regretting it.

If they can get over the subscription part, make use of what they still have and slowly upgrade, that's probably the best option

[antkho]

It's about trust. They lied and made changes at will. Now it is subscription, next could be paying per your own video.

[DaveWoj]

@mamarcac 

I thought direct USB access (in the app) meant that you can see the files but you need to download each one in order to view it and can that be done on a phone?

[Mark85]

I have 15 cameras across 4 base stations and accounts. There really wasn't a need for them to be tied only to a single account, since camera sharing allowed you to see all shared cameras from a single account. I am sure I am the type of freeloading user that Arlo is looking to get rid of.

[Mark85]

Nope. I just double checked my app in case any new updates, and still nope. To view local recordings need to pull out USB drive and connect to computer.

[DaveWoj]

@Mark85 

and I thought I was bad. (LOL)

So Mark,  Say I have one account but someone else has an account with their own cameras. Can all those cameras be combined into one account but also be accessed and notified separately so that now you only pay the one account price?

[secaz]

Now why didn't I think of that...!!!

😛

17 cameras and 3 base stations - all Arlo Pro, started system shortly after they were released.

Nowhere do I recall having read that my cameras would cease to function on such-and-such a date. If I had, then I would not have bought them. Big system or small, it's a lot of money to park out. Between the cameras, the base stations, the extra batteries and the mounts, the protective booties, everything... it all adds up and now it''s just money out the window.

I pay for a sub, but that's apparently NO GUARANTEE that Arlo will allow my hardware to work with their systems. As it is, their Arlo Smart is a joke, not to also mention that half the time the system doesn't work because they start working on system upgrades and maint on Thursdays and holidays. Have witnessed a million times if once, I work from home and when they are working on the systems, I'll see cars drive by and people walk up to my door and no triggers. I'll be like, WTF? Then, oh - YEAH - it's Thursday... and there's that lovely 1 minute security gap between 11:59 pm and midnight... and also the fact that you can easily circumvent the cameras... walk slowly towards them (or just walk really slowly), they won't trigger half the time, at night stop and wait for the IR lights to go off, you have several seconds and then some to do whatever before the camera resets and triggers again...

Thank you Arlo. You really know how to succor customer loyalty.

There's an enthusiast whose a coder and he has been developing a replacement for Arlo's cloud service (a local cloud) and has had quite a bit of success. Just need a computer you can use as a wifi hotspot. I recall having read about it a few years back, he's still working on it from what I read. I stumbled across the Reddit thread a few days ago but failed to bookmark it. I will look for it and post back when I find it.

I'm not surprised at all that Arlo has done this. Just wonder what took them so long. I'll never buy Arlo products ever again - there are so many better ones out there. And I warn everyone and anyone to stay away from Arlo... it's a waste of money...

[Mark85]

most of my cameras are Pro2s so I've still got a little extra time to research if there is a cost effective system to change my 15 cameras.

 

 

From what you can find on the Arlo website, says you can do unlimited  cameras in a single residential location on one account.