Arlo’s security cameras are often ranked among ourtop picks of home security cameras, and the company’s coming out with more all the time. But last month we got some surprising news about its older models, as the company shared its newend-of-life policy. Cameras that are out of production would eventually see certain functionality disabled, including access to free 7-day cloud storage for supported models. Now, Arlo is walking back from that decision, committing to retaining some features, pushing back EOL dates, and extending software support.
The new lease on life was announced by CEO Matthew McRae, who confirmed late last week that free seven-day storage will not be discontinued for cameras that currently support it. McRae acknowledged customers dissatisfaction with the initial news last month, and how it prompted the company to reconsider its plans.
The original EOL notice was for the Arlo Gen 3 and Pro camera lines, which were set to stop being supported on April 1. In addition to the termination of the seven-day cloud storage, the policy also meant that customers would lose access to email notifications and any type of software support.
Arlo now says it’s extending EOL dates, with the Pro 2 lineup set to retire in 2025, instead of early 2024.While that’s good news for software, things still look rough on the hardware side, and the company notes repair services, refurbishment capabilities, and parts are becoming increasingly limited. Software support will also be extended for the rest of the older models, including the Arlo Baby, Pro 2, Q, Q+, Lights, and Audio Doorbell, lasting one year past their new EOL dates.
The latest decision is a relief for Arlo customers who expect to keep these security cameras in their homes indefinitely without having to worry about product and software support expiring. After all, these aren’t like smartphones that you might replace every few years.
