Smart Gadget Works, But Maker Pulls Plug

"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.

Arlo highlights the trade-off that connected devices pose.

Back when we had CD players and VCRs, we could use them until they broke down, but our relationship with the company effectively ended on the day of the sale. Now that devices require an internet connection and software services, you are shackled to their makers, whether or not you pay for a monthly subscription.

Think about your TV, which could suddenly lose the ability to stream your favorite shows because one of its apps is no longer supported. Similar issues could arise with a smart air filter, a connected speaker or, in this case, a security camera: Even though it is in good working condition, its maker can decide to pull the plug.

Jodi Clum and her staff look after dozens of dogs, a few parrots and a couple of cats at Broadway Kennels, her pet-boarding service in Pataskala, Ohio. "Taking care of animals, they become your family," she said.

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. Ms. Clum said she relies on the cameras to keep an eye on the pets.

"I live five minutes down the road. Being the owner, I have to know what's going on all the time," she said.

She once received an Arlo motion notification at 3 a.m. and discovered that a husky mix named Scotch was wandering through the kennel's aisles. "She figured out how to open the door handle. So I got in my car."

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.

Ms. Clum felt Arlo was taking away something she had paid for. And as a small-business owner, she didn't want to incur another monthly cost."To me, this was false advertising," she said.

Frustrated customers took to Reddit, Twitter, Arlo's support forums and the inboxes of Wall Street Journal reporters. A few days after I contacted the company, Arlo Chief Executive Matthew McRae tweeted a backtrack. No-fee seven-day storage would be in place indefinitely. Software updates for Ms. Clum's cameras would continue for a few more months. Arlo said it would also provide security updates for those older camerasfor at least a year after that. Newer cameras would be supported until 2025.

For Chuck Fedora of Cape Coral, Fla., the reversal came too late. Mr. Fedora purchased a set of Arlo cameras three years ago from Costco. The cameras cost more than competitors' because of the no-fee storage benefit, but he said he thought at the time it was worth it. After receiving the end-of-life email from Arlo, he replaced his Arlos with models from Wyze and Reolink.

"I've moved on and will not be purchasing Arlos again," he said.

Mr. McRae told me about some of the thinking behind the initial decision.

He said some of the cameras hadn't been manufactured for five years. Mr. McRae also said the number of customers actively using the no-fee seven-day cloud storage was "smaller and shrinking," though he declined to elaborate. The majority of Arlo's users were on newer products that didn't include the free-storage benefit, he said.

But Arlo reversed its decision because of email and Twitter direct messages sent to Mr. McRae, he said.

Ms. Clum and other Arlo customers will still have free cloud storage, but soon the company won't patch any nonsecurity bugs affecting the cameras. In its end-of-life policy, Arlo promises to support camera models for at least four years after it stops selling them. This could mean a model gets software updates for a total of six or seven years.

Mr. McRae pointed to Apple as having a similar policy for its iPhones. The latest version of iOS dropped support for the iPhone 7 six years after the device's initial release.

Ring provides product software updates for at least four years after it stops selling the device. Meanwhile, Google supports its connected devices for at least five years from the date they are initially sold.

Phones are easier to replace than security cameras, which often require wiring and wall mounting in hard-to-reach places. I once installed a smart floodlight above a garage, which involved climbing a ladder and drilling into beams -- something I hope to never do again.

Arlo's message was clear: Your device won't last forever.

The more connected a device's software is, the more dependent its lifespan is on the companies behind it. Gadgets aren't often advertised with a time limit for service. And yet, Chromebooks eventually expire. Sometimes, when companies run out of money and shut down their servers, smart pet feeders suddenly stop dispensing kibble.

Gadgets aren't like milk and bread. There is no expiration date on the packaging or in the retailer's product listing. Perhaps there should be. Meanwhile, savvy shoppers need to get more accustomed to asking, "When will this stop working?"" [1]

A good gadget that stopped working becomes trash. This is bad for our environment. Companies should keep this in mind.

1. Smart Gadget Works, But Maker Pulls Plug
Nguyen, Nicole.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 22 Feb 2023: A.10.