Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ : AMZN) discontinues support for the Cloud Cam security camera and replaces it with a complimentary Blink Mini. MacRumors first reported the move the other week, and The Verge got a copy of the email issued to clients informing them of the changes.
Amazon ending support for Cloud Cam
Cloud Cam users will be allowed to use their cams and access video until December 2, 2022, and then all recordings shall be destroyed, and the gear will stop working. Clients who purchase the Cloud Cam Key Edition could lose the potential to relate to smart locks, but they will receive a free 4th Echo to compensate for it.
Amazon said in an email, “As the number of Alexa smart home devices continues to grow, we are focusing efforts on Ring, Blink, and other technologies that make your home smarter and simplify your everyday routines. Therefore, we have decided to no longer continue support for Amazon Cloud Cam and its companion apps.”
The eCommerce giant added that they should continue offering innovative smart home security offerings through the Blink and Ring brands. It further stated that those that are still continuously utilizing the Cloud Cam would receive Blink Mini cameras. According to Jocelyn Shaw, the Amazon smart home spokesperson, Cloud Cam clients that have been active in the last six months shall be eligible for substitute hardware, with clients receiving one Blink Mini for every active Cloud Cam in use or one Blink Mini plus Echo for every Cloud Cam Key Edition.
Amazon to send an email on how to get free Blink Mini
Before the December 2, 2022 deadline, Cloud Cam customers will get an email with directions for claiming their complimentary Blink Mini and (for Key Edition customers) Echo. The Blink Mini shall include a one-year Blink Subscription Plus membership, which costs $10 / month or $100 annually. Most Blink features need a membership, such as instant access to movies and motion-activated recordings. Cloud Cam, like Blink Mini, needed a paid service for additional capabilities. However, it did offer some free alternatives that needed payment.
