Axis: Difference between revisions
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Axis | |||
{{InfoboxCompany | |||
| Name = Axis Communications | |||
| Type = Subsidiary | |||
| Founded = 1984 | |||
| Industry = Security | |||
| Official Website = https://axis.com/ | |||
| Logo = Axis.png | |||
}} | |||
Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Lund, Sweden, [[wikipedia:Axis_Communications|'''Axis''']] is a video surveillance company with approximately 4,000 employees across more than 50 countries.<ref>Axis website, https://www.axis.com/en-us/about-axis | |||
Archived link to Axis website, https://archive.ph/8oCS2</ref> | Archived link to Axis website, https://archive.ph/8oCS2</ref> | ||
== | == Consumer impact summary == | ||
* User Freedom: | |||
* User Privacy: | |||
* Business Model: | |||
* Market Control: | |||
== Incidents == | |||
==== Removal of | === Closure of Axis Companion Classic === | ||
Axis signaled that they would be removing remote access for any new sites created after 2023 | Released in 2016,<ref name=":0">Companion software release notes, https://www.axis.com/ftp/pub_soft/cam_srv/cam_companion/latest/relnote.txt | ||
Archived, https://archive.ph/RNJ8J</ref> Axis Companion Classic (formerly just Axis Companion) was a freely provided software for Axis account owners to be able to setup, configure, & manage cameras on the network. It also allowed a remote viewing feature for an iOS or Android Companion app to be able to view camera feeds remotely. | |||
===Removal of remote access support=== | |||
Axis signaled that they would be removing remote access for any new sites created after March 31, 2023.<ref name=":0" /> Their software was updated in version 3.74.000 (released on March 15, 2023) to notify customers.<ref name=":1">Axis Companion FTP download site, [https://www.axis.com/ftp/pub_soft/cam_srv/cam_companion/] | |||
Archived, [https://archive.ph/ebg4g]</ref> | Archived, [https://archive.ph/ebg4g]</ref> | ||
When version 3.75.000 was released on March 24, 2023,<ref name=":1" /> '''the only change was to prevent users from being able to enable remote access to camera feeds for new sites.''' | |||
When version 3.75.000 was released on 2023 | |||
<blockquote>Release Notes: | <blockquote>Release Notes: | ||
''Changes since 3.75.000'' | ''Changes since 3.75.000'' | ||
''========================'' | ''========================'' | ||
''No Secure Remote Access on new sites created after 2023-03-31.''</blockquote> | ''No Secure Remote Access on new sites created after 2023-03-31.''</blockquote> | ||
If a consumer never updated to this or later versions, all remote access would continue to work and consumers could continue to create new sites without restriction.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
'''This restriction removes functionality without providing any benefit to the customer.''' | |||
=== Axis Companion === | === Axis Companion === | ||
As part of their efforts to upgrade software while retaining legacy setups Axis created Axis Companion after renaming the previous Companion to Companion Classic. | As part of their efforts to upgrade software while retaining legacy setups, Axis created Axis Companion after renaming the previous Companion to Companion Classic. | ||
===Removal of third-party SD card support=== | |||
Starting June 27, 2024, Axis removed support for any new device configurations in Companion with third-party SD cards.<ref name=":2">Policy update regarding 3rd Party SD Cards, https://www.axis.com/dam/public/11/2e/29/axis-surveillance-cards-now-required-en-US-443994.pdf | |||
Archived, https://archive.ph/uHiaB</ref> This policy change effectively forces customers to purchase Axis-branded storage solutions for any new installations, while existing installations using third-party SD cards would continue to function.<ref name=":2" /> | |||
The company justifies this change by claiming their SD cards are optimized for surveillance applications and offer greater functionality and endurance.<ref>NetworkWebcams.co.uk article to explain pricing https://www.networkwebcams.co.uk/blog/why-use-axis-sd-surveillance-cards-in-ip-cameras/</ref> This change also coincides with Axis' expansion of proprietary storage requirements across their product lines, including their Camera Station Edge platform which similarly mandates the use of Axis-branded SD cards.<ref>FAQ for Axis Edge, https://faq.axis.com/s/article/third-party-sd-cards-as-recording-storage-in-my-vms-solution</ref> | |||
=== Axis SD cards === | |||
Axis sells proprietary SD cards manufactured by SanDisk,<ref>Technical Datasheet of Axis 256GB SD Card https://www.axis.com/dam/public/55/dd/19/datasheet-axis-surveillance-card-256-gb-en-US-417022.pdf</ref> marketed under their own brand with claims of specialized optimization for surveillance applications. These cards come with a five-year warranty and are claimed to have up to six times more endurance than standard SD cards.<ref>NetworkWebcams.co.uk article to explain pricing https://www.networkwebcams.co.uk/blog/why-use-axis-sd-surveillance-cards-in-ip-cameras/</ref> | |||
==== Pricing and market position ==== | |||
As of 2025, Axis' SD cards are sold at approximately five times the price of comparable third-party SD cards<ref>Pricing 256GB Axis SD Card, https://archive.ph/nS3l4 | |||
Pricing 256GB Samsung SD Card, https://archive.ph/CM2z8</ref> despite being based on standard SanDisk hardware. The company's transition to requiring these proprietary cards across their product lines creates a closed ecosystem where consumers must purchase storage solutions exclusively from Axis at premium prices. | |||
==== Platform lock-in ==== | |||
The requirement for Axis-branded SD cards is now being implemented across multiple Axis platforms: | |||
*Axis Companion (new installations after June 27, 2024)<ref name=":2" /> | |||
*Camera Station Edge platform<ref>FAQ for Axis Edge, https://faq.axis.com/s/article/third-party-sd-cards-as-recording-storage-in-my-vms-solution</ref> | |||
This represents a shift from open hardware compatibility to a closed ecosystem where customers have to buy Axis-branded storage at sky-high prices to maintain full functionality of their security system. | |||
==References== | |||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
[[Category:Axis]] | |||
Latest revision as of 10:06, 15 March 2025
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984 |
| Type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Security |
| Official website | https://axis.com/ |
Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Lund, Sweden, Axis is a video surveillance company with approximately 4,000 employees across more than 50 countries.[1]
Consumer impact summary[edit | edit source]
- User Freedom:
- User Privacy:
- Business Model:
- Market Control:
Incidents[edit | edit source]
Closure of Axis Companion Classic[edit | edit source]
Released in 2016,[2] Axis Companion Classic (formerly just Axis Companion) was a freely provided software for Axis account owners to be able to setup, configure, & manage cameras on the network. It also allowed a remote viewing feature for an iOS or Android Companion app to be able to view camera feeds remotely.
Removal of remote access support[edit | edit source]
Axis signaled that they would be removing remote access for any new sites created after March 31, 2023.[2] Their software was updated in version 3.74.000 (released on March 15, 2023) to notify customers.[3]
When version 3.75.000 was released on March 24, 2023,[3] the only change was to prevent users from being able to enable remote access to camera feeds for new sites.
Release Notes:
Changes since 3.75.000
========================
No Secure Remote Access on new sites created after 2023-03-31.
If a consumer never updated to this or later versions, all remote access would continue to work and consumers could continue to create new sites without restriction.[2]
This restriction removes functionality without providing any benefit to the customer.
Axis Companion[edit | edit source]
As part of their efforts to upgrade software while retaining legacy setups, Axis created Axis Companion after renaming the previous Companion to Companion Classic.
Removal of third-party SD card support[edit | edit source]
Starting June 27, 2024, Axis removed support for any new device configurations in Companion with third-party SD cards.[4] This policy change effectively forces customers to purchase Axis-branded storage solutions for any new installations, while existing installations using third-party SD cards would continue to function.[4]
The company justifies this change by claiming their SD cards are optimized for surveillance applications and offer greater functionality and endurance.[5] This change also coincides with Axis' expansion of proprietary storage requirements across their product lines, including their Camera Station Edge platform which similarly mandates the use of Axis-branded SD cards.[6]
Axis SD cards[edit | edit source]
Axis sells proprietary SD cards manufactured by SanDisk,[7] marketed under their own brand with claims of specialized optimization for surveillance applications. These cards come with a five-year warranty and are claimed to have up to six times more endurance than standard SD cards.[8]
Pricing and market position[edit | edit source]
As of 2025, Axis' SD cards are sold at approximately five times the price of comparable third-party SD cards[9] despite being based on standard SanDisk hardware. The company's transition to requiring these proprietary cards across their product lines creates a closed ecosystem where consumers must purchase storage solutions exclusively from Axis at premium prices.
Platform lock-in[edit | edit source]
The requirement for Axis-branded SD cards is now being implemented across multiple Axis platforms:
This represents a shift from open hardware compatibility to a closed ecosystem where customers have to buy Axis-branded storage at sky-high prices to maintain full functionality of their security system.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Axis website, https://www.axis.com/en-us/about-axis Archived link to Axis website, https://archive.ph/8oCS2
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Companion software release notes, https://www.axis.com/ftp/pub_soft/cam_srv/cam_companion/latest/relnote.txt Archived, https://archive.ph/RNJ8J
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Axis Companion FTP download site, [1] Archived, [2]
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Policy update regarding 3rd Party SD Cards, https://www.axis.com/dam/public/11/2e/29/axis-surveillance-cards-now-required-en-US-443994.pdf Archived, https://archive.ph/uHiaB
- ↑ NetworkWebcams.co.uk article to explain pricing https://www.networkwebcams.co.uk/blog/why-use-axis-sd-surveillance-cards-in-ip-cameras/
- ↑ FAQ for Axis Edge, https://faq.axis.com/s/article/third-party-sd-cards-as-recording-storage-in-my-vms-solution
- ↑ Technical Datasheet of Axis 256GB SD Card https://www.axis.com/dam/public/55/dd/19/datasheet-axis-surveillance-card-256-gb-en-US-417022.pdf
- ↑ NetworkWebcams.co.uk article to explain pricing https://www.networkwebcams.co.uk/blog/why-use-axis-sd-surveillance-cards-in-ip-cameras/
- ↑ Pricing 256GB Axis SD Card, https://archive.ph/nS3l4 Pricing 256GB Samsung SD Card, https://archive.ph/CM2z8
- ↑ FAQ for Axis Edge, https://faq.axis.com/s/article/third-party-sd-cards-as-recording-storage-in-my-vms-solution