EOL of Email Notifications & Cloud Storage

[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

[Warbri]

What a brutal business decision to end 7 day cloud recording. This will be the downfall of Arlo. Period. The reason we swallowed the high inflated prices was the 7 day cloud. My thousand dollars will be going elsewhere and not to Arlo ever again. This will bankrupt you. Terrible terrible decision

[Warbri]

Check out blink with local storage. All the bells that arlo has and works in very cold temps

[DannyBearAgain]

It would not surprise me if this EOL policy is intended to be as vague to generate confusion among Arlo’s non subscription customers to manipulate them into purchasing a new subscription.

Manipulate them into replacing their Base station with a unit that supports local storage access which is via app only and without granted user access capability.

Manipulate them into upgrading their EOL camera equipment.

It would also not surprise me that Arlo MAY decide to back track the EOL policy decision in part or whole come April 1st citing poor customer response.

During this uncertain period, from now to April, Arlo will have generated the wanted improvements in subscription sales as well as their newer equipment without reduced revenue from existing customers.

If this does transpire, it would be a clever way to manipulate your customer base so you would have to take your hat off to the Arlo CEO.

[carrinrj]

Agreed!! If Arlo management actually cares and see all the posts by disappointed current users, perhaps they will keep the 7 day cloud storage we are entitled to. Then we'll have something positive to say....right now...not!!

[kaabell]

Costco will soon drop Arlo as a stocked product as these issues settle in. Loss of Brand loyalty, Wow. What MBA's

made these decisions?

[carrinrj]

Arlo and their ceo will only succeed if we and possible new customers fall for their antics.  I for one, will not be one of them. This eol policy is deceptive and has the symptoms of a bait and switch....taking away the promised 7 day storage...

[MichaelRo]

Hah.  CEO only has a bachelors. 

[Nancy_L]

I not only rely on the 7 day FREE cloud storage but also the email notifications. With those you can send a text to multiple people that might be keeping on eye on your property while you are away.  They can then use a computer web browser to see what is happening. The product came with "Rolling 7 days of basic cloud recordings, Motion alerts-Receive push notifications and emails if anything moves". I have three Arlo boxes that all say this on them and that was why I bought them and paid a premium for them!

[shauncore]

It's unbelievable. Since I bought my Pro 2's, Arlo has intentionally dropped the recording quality to force its users to upgrade, started charging for cameras that weren't supposed to have a subscription, implemented an obnoxious 2FA system that makes you reauthenticate (for no reason) every two weeks, and not fixed a single issue that was present when the cameras were new. And now they're raising the prices and EOL'ing the cameras that never worked adequately in the first place. I was already paying to keep my last two cameras working, despite that fact that the premium services are worthless. The gall in suggesting that I pay more or dump another grand on a new Arlo system... I'm done with Arlo. Cancelling my subscription and moving to a different brand.

[AmyArlo24]

Done. I updated my 5yr old review on the  Product Review Australia site. Mine was one of the few positive reviews there and I would update it every year. I ❤️  my Arlo but without the 7 day free storage I might miss a significant event before being able to download it to my phone for future reference. That feature will probably go too 😔 I paid a stoopid amount for the Arlo doorbell that has no storage and each trigger overwrites the last event without the ability to download. My cameras will be the same by April. Hate this.

[shauncore]

Somebody already started a class-action for it.

[kaabell]

I think they may have committed suicide of their Brand. They may somewhat survive this but the cost will be massive!!!

[MotoRider42HC]

Then it sounds like Arlo needs to replace our base stations, for free.  Or, at least have the basic common courtesy to offer a trade-in program with a substantial discount for a new base station.

[nddomer1999]

Where did you purchase your cameras? If by any chance you bought them from Costco, I was able to contact them Friday with my order number way back from 2018. I purchased 2 systems from them and they are providing me a FULL refund totaling $1500 which I’m going to go to Eufy.com and purchase the S330 system which I’ve researched and seems Amaxing!!!!

[nddomer1999]

If you purchased any EOL system from Costco, I urge you to contact their customer support. I contacted them Friday January 6 2022 and they informed me they are going to provide a full refund for a 3 camera Arlo Pro system and a 5 camera Arlo Pro 2 system totaling about $1500.00 that I purchased in 2018. I explained to them what Arlo is doing and urged them to pull all Arlo products from their shelves immediately and that I was going to contact the Attorney General in the state of California and file a complaint against Arlo and they offered a full refund citing they protect the best interests of their customers. Even if you didn’t purchase your system from Costco you should contact whichever vendor you did purchase it from and complain. See what they will do and make sure they stop selling any further products. I’m done with Arlo and decided to go with the Eufy S330 with my refund from Costco.

[KremmenUK]

There have been a few posts about local storage. Also a few posts pointing out that an intruder will likely take that with them so you have no footage saved.

I'm warming to Google Nest at the moment. They have geofencing, albeit flaky at times*, but has cloud storage and notifications, and best of all some cameras, like the one I have on test, are only a third of Arlo prices.

*Google Presence Sensing seems to work far more reliably if you have a device indoors. Since buying a Google Nest Mini and linking it to Presence Sensing, PS has been far more reliable as it uses devices as well as your phone location to see if all are home or away.

[Cartero95]

In Europe, we still have not received an official email from Arlo and we are just learning this information from a few articles in the press. This is a strange way to reward loyal / long term customers by not even informing them directly of such changes to the terms and conditions. This is a breach of trust and unacceptable money grab. The 3 Arlo Q Plus cameras that I purchased were expensive at the time, around USD 200 per camera. However, as it came with a free lifetime 7 day cloud storage, it kind of made sense in the long run. However now that Arlo has accepted our money, they are just not willing to deliver on their side of the agreement. I felt that they were already extremely pushy over the last years on upselling (unrequired) subscriptions but this is too far.

I am glad to see people reaction to this news on the forum. Only a few days ago I was looking into a similar case with Filmora trying to take away their lifetime subscriptions before they had to publicly apologise and restore their previous terms and conditions.

Following a public outcry, I would not be surprised that Arlo might be forced to do the same and restore at least the free 7 day storage for the cameras that included that service.

I am surprised by companies that are willing to shoot themselves in the foot, by deciding not to full fill their obligations, anger their loyal customers, risk public scrutiny and humiliation and potentially face legal repercussions.

[Strupö]

Hi Arlo,

please publish asap EOL of life for all your products. Why? Because I have purchase some Arlo products that you now say has and EOL, after they was stopped manufactured but didn’t know that. And there was no information that those was just some year later reached EOL.

So, for the best of all of us, please publish the road map and EOL for all Arlo equipment as son as possible. I don’t want to buy new stuff the are obsolete in a year or so!

Then I understand that the special offer mentioned is only for US?

[carrinrj]

AMEN!!!!! Let's hope Arlo management sees the light and reverses their decision!

[Cartero95]

I am glad you managed to get a refund.

Following the EOL, I am also looking for alternatives but Eufy is not a solution I would personally consider after the recent security issues

I would recommend the following video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMe2K-bHSdI

[Cartero95]

I am glad you managed to get a refund.

As mentioned on your other post, following the Arlo EOL policy, I am also looking for alternatives but Eufy is not a solution I would personally consider after the recent security issues

I would recommend the following video on Eufy security issues

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMe2K-bHSdI

[KevMo2023]

except that Arlo explicitly said that 7 day cloud storage would be perpetuity. EOL on products, that’s fine and understandable given hardware… but it’s breach of contract at worst and breach of ethics at best that they promised basic forever use on cloud service and now are changing it to try to get subscription money. They should grandfather free 7day cloud service for anyone who already had it via their previous promises. 

[carrinrj]

Yes sir!! Amen!! That's what I've been saying. Has anyone contacted Arlo upper management and told them to look at all the posts from disappointed users who's promises they broke! They need to reinstate the 7 day free cloud storage for all affected users!

[Smxcan]

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@JamesC wrote:

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

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@JamesC  I'm in Canada and received the EOL email, however the Eligibility Criteria on the Upgrade Offers page states:

• Offer valid for devices registered in US only

I get the message "We’re sorry, based on the email address provided, you are not eligible for the EOL offer."

Are there no EOL offer from Arlo for any country other than the US?!  If not, why only the US? 

[carrinrj]

Their discount offer is ridiculous anyway. They want you to throw away your perfect good cameras and buy new ones at 50% off and then buy their cloud subscription service for 75% off for the first year only....then they have you roped in to their subscription plan at full price after that which they just increased the price for...$13.99 per month for multiple cameras. I was fine with my FREE 7 day cloud storage. Arlo's discount is a definite money grab. If anything...let us keep our existing cameras and upgrade us for free to their current cloud storage for life for free.