Arlo is Taking Away Security Camera Features You Paid for
upstart writes:
When I set out to buy my first home security cameras, the Arlo Q was my obvious pick - every reviewer pointed out that it offered seven days of free cloud storage instead of forcing you into a subscription. Heck, Arlo even advertised it on the packaging.
But on January 1st, 2024, the company's killing that feature for many Arlo cams - and reserving the right to eliminate all cloud functionality, including email alerts, push notifications, and other "bundled services or features," for any camera that hasn't been manufactured for four years.
Arlo's delivering that news in the form of a new retroactive "End-Of-Life Policy" which you can read in full below, but the short version is this:
- If you have an Arlo Gen 3 or Arlo Pro, there are no guarantees after April 1st, 2023
- If you have an Arlo Baby, Arlo Pro 2, Arlo Q, Arlo Q+, Arlo Lights or Audio Doorbell, there are no guarantees after January 1st, 2024
- Email notifications and E911 emergency calling are gone after April 1st, 2023
- "Legacy Video Storage" with AWS S3 is gone after January 1st, 2024
[...] When Amazon killed its Cloud Cam, which also offered free 24-hour storage, owners at least got a free replacement device and a year of subscription service. Maybe the company will do something like that if there's a sufficient backlash.
Read more of this story at SoylentNews.