The Cameras Worked Fine. Their Maker Said They Had Reached Their End of Life.
owl writes:
Somewhat related to a recent journal article, this comes across the WSJ:
Archive line to above WSJ article
You can own a gadget, but its fate might well be controlled by the company that makes it.
In January, Arlo Technologies Inc. sent an email to customers of its internet-connected security cameras about a new "end-of-life policy." Starting April 1, the company would no longer support models that included no-fee seven-day rolling storage of video clips-a well-advertised selling point.
End-of-life policies for tech products are becoming more common. Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. have similar ones. But Arlo's abrupt announcement aggravated some customers. Forty days later, the company recanted, keeping the free video storage and extending software support.
[...] In late 2018, Ms. Clum spotted a five-pack of Arlo security cameras at Best Buy, with enticing offers printed on the packaging: "Including FREE cloud recording" and "With rolling seven days of FREE cloud recordings."
She purchased 30 cameras, totaling over $6,000, and spent hours wiring and mounting them throughout the kennel herself. Today, 26 are still running.
[...] This year, on New Year's Day, Ms. Clum received Arlo's email explaining that her five-year-old cameras would move to their "end-of-life stage" in April. Firmware updates, as well as the seven-day no-fee cloud storage benefit, would end. Instead, Arlo device owners could upgrade to one of the company's paid plans, starting at $13 a month or buy an add-on device to store videos.
PS - they recanted -- for now -- but how long do you expect it will be before they try all over again to EOL these cameras?
Previously: Arlo is Taking Away Security Camera Features You Paid for
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