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Users have complained the app forces you into purchasing a subscription even with local storage, with one user alleging without one they cannot filter clips, cannot have stable doorbell live views, and clip names on the Sync Module 2 local storage are random numbers instead of dates, though others have reported different experiences without a subscription.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/blinkcameras/comments/yvqzz6/the_truth_about_blink_without_a_subscription/|title=The Truth about Blink without a subscription. : r/blinkcameras|author=u/sonnythemoney|work=Reddit|date=2022-11-15|access-date=2025-03-10|archive-url=https://archive.ph/H1l6D|archive-date=2025-03-10|url-status=live}}</ref>
Users have complained the app forces you into purchasing a subscription even with local storage, with one user alleging without one they cannot filter clips, cannot have stable doorbell live views, and clip names on the Sync Module 2 local storage are random numbers instead of dates, though others have reported different experiences without a subscription.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/blinkcameras/comments/yvqzz6/the_truth_about_blink_without_a_subscription/|title=The Truth about Blink without a subscription. : r/blinkcameras|author=u/sonnythemoney|work=Reddit|date=2022-11-15|access-date=2025-03-10|archive-url=https://archive.ph/H1l6D|archive-date=2025-03-10|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
<gallery>
File:Blink legacy account popup.PNG|Popup given to legacy accounts.
</gallery>
===Account bans for Homebridge use===
===Account bans for Homebridge use===
On April 16, 2021, it was reported that Blink accounts using a third-party Homebridge integration were banned.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/22381356/blink-homebridge-crackdown-amazon-subscriptions|title=Why does Amazon hate its most enthusiastic smart home fans?|first=Thomas|last=Ricker|date=2021-04-16|work=TheVerge|access-date=2025-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250115210400/https://www.theverge.com/22381356/blink-homebridge-crackdown-amazon-subscriptions|archive-date=2025-01-15|url-status=live}}</ref> The reasons stated by Blink were "due to unsupported scripts or apps running on your system" and "the only automation that is permitted for use with the Blink system is through Alexa and/or IFTTT". According to Colin Bendell, the developer of the plugin, he states that 10,000 users of the plugin "is probably small potatoes for Amazon", as there were over 1 million downloads of the Android app.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.immediasemi.android.blink|title=Blink Home Monitor|work=Google Play|access-date=2025-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728214821/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.immediasemi.android.blink|archive-date=2021-07-28|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On April 16, 2021, it was reported that Blink accounts using a third-party Homebridge integration were banned.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/22381356/blink-homebridge-crackdown-amazon-subscriptions|title=Why does Amazon hate its most enthusiastic smart home fans?|first=Thomas|last=Ricker|date=2021-04-16|work=TheVerge|access-date=2025-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250115210400/https://www.theverge.com/22381356/blink-homebridge-crackdown-amazon-subscriptions|archive-date=2025-01-15|url-status=live}}</ref> The reasons stated by Blink were "due to unsupported scripts or apps running on your system" and "the only automation that is permitted for use with the Blink system is through Alexa and/or IFTTT". According to Colin Bendell, the developer of the plugin, he states that 10,000 users of the plugin "is probably small potatoes for Amazon", as there were over 1 million downloads of the Android app.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.immediasemi.android.blink|title=Blink Home Monitor|work=Google Play|access-date=2025-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728214821/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.immediasemi.android.blink|archive-date=2021-07-28|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Latest revision as of 16:04, 24 March 2025

Blink
Basic information
Founded 2009
Type Subsidiary
Industry Home security
Official website https://blinkforhome.com/

Blink is a manufacturer of home security cameras owned by Amazon. The company was acquired from Immedia Semiconductor as a subsidiary in 2017.[1]

Consumer impact summary[edit | edit source]

Freedom[edit | edit source]

Users are limited to the Blink app to manage their cameras, although there are plugins for services, such as Home Assistant.[2]

Privacy[edit | edit source]

According to the privacy policy, users are allowed to delete their accounts through the app and manage customer support's temporary access to cameras during calls. In November 2020, Mozilla reviewed the Blink system's privacy features and gave it a neutral rating.[3]

Business model[edit | edit source]

In 2017, Blink cameras were free to use, though an optional "Blink Seecurity" system could be bought for $9.99/m or $19.99/m depending on the monitoring option.[4] The $90 million acquisition by Amazon was mostly in part to obtain the “energy-efficient processor technology” and to differentiate from other smart home companies with 2-year battery life for cameras.[5]

As of 2021, the business model of Blink relies on users spending monthly or yearly on a Blink subscription plan after the purchase of the cameras.[6] Before the introduction of subscriptions, Blink significantly increased their user base by offering free cloud storage and devices with battery life[7]

Market control[edit | edit source]

Blink is one of the most well known battery-powered camera brands.[8] Though there are others such as from TP-Link, Arlo, Nest, and Eufy.[9]

Incidents[edit | edit source]

Introduction of subscription model[edit | edit source]

Price chart for subscriptions as of March 2025.

With the release of the Outdoor 3 and Mini[10] in 2020, Blink began switching from a free cloud model to a subscription system (finalized in early 2021[11]). The "basic plan" only allows 1 device per account ($3/m or $30/y[6]), while the "plus plan" allows for unlimited devices and includes an extended device warranty ($10/m or $100/y[6]).[12] Previous accounts with Indoor, XT, or XT2 devices were given "legacy" status, which allowed for 7,200 seconds of free cloud storage per sync module.[13] Some users with legacy accounts have had issues where the app would have users on a "30 day trial period" when upgrading cameras.[14]

Users have complained the app forces you into purchasing a subscription even with local storage, with one user alleging without one they cannot filter clips, cannot have stable doorbell live views, and clip names on the Sync Module 2 local storage are random numbers instead of dates, though others have reported different experiences without a subscription.[15]

  • Popup given to legacy accounts.
    Popup given to legacy accounts.

Account bans for Homebridge use[edit | edit source]

On April 16, 2021, it was reported that Blink accounts using a third-party Homebridge integration were banned.[16] The reasons stated by Blink were "due to unsupported scripts or apps running on your system" and "the only automation that is permitted for use with the Blink system is through Alexa and/or IFTTT". According to Colin Bendell, the developer of the plugin, he states that 10,000 users of the plugin "is probably small potatoes for Amazon", as there were over 1 million downloads of the Android app.[17]

Planned obsolescence[edit | edit source]

For older cameras such as the Indoor, XT, and XT2, the local storage option for the Sync Module 2 cannot be utilized.[18] The local storage only exists for the Mini, Doorbell, and Outdoor 3 & 4 model cameras on the Sync Module 2, with the maximum amount of attached storage being 256gb.[18] Although the inclusion of previous camera models in local storage can be changed with a software update, that has not occurred.

Products[edit | edit source]

  • Modules
    • Sync Module (2016)[19]
    • Sync Module 2 (2020)[19]
    • Sync Module XR (2024)[20]
  • Cameras
    • Blink Indoor (2016)[19]
    • Blink XT (2017)[19]
    • Blink XT2 (2018)[19]
    • Blink Outdoor 3 (2020)[20]
    • Blink Indoor 3 (2020)[19]
    • Blink Mini (2020)[19]
    • Mini Pan-Tilt (2022)[20]
    • Blink Outdoor 4 (2023)[20]
    • Blink Mini 2 (2024)[20]
  • Doorbell
    • Video doorbell (2021)[20]
  • Floodlights
    • Wired Floodlight Camera (2023)[20]
    • Outdoor 3 Floodlight Camera (2020)[20]
    • Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera (2023)[20]


References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Maring, Joe (2017-12-22). "Amazon buys smart doorbell and camera maker Blink". Android Central. Archived from the original on 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  2. ↑ "Blink - Home Assistant". Home Assistant. Archived from the original on 2025-01-18. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  3. ↑ "Blink Security Cameras". Mozilla Foundation. 2020-11-08. Archived from the original on 2024-12-07. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  4. ↑ Ricker, Thomas (2017-01-02). "Little Blink camera expands into whole-home security, for a price". TheVerge. Archived from the original on 2024-12-08. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  5. ↑ Bishop, Todd (2019-05-09). "Amazon's Blink unveils new security camera with 'exclusive' chip and two-year battery life". GeekWire. Archived from the original on 2024-03-06. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Blink Subscription Plus Plan with monthly auto-renewal". Amazon. Archived from the original on 2025-02-11. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  7. ↑ "Blink XT2 Outdoor/Indoor Smart Security Camera with cloud storage included, 2-way audio, 2-year battery life – 2 camera kit (Used Condition)". Amazon. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  8. ↑ Lacoma, Tyler; Meyer, Macy. "Best Wireless Home Security Cameras of 2025". CNET. Archived from the original on 2025-03-13. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  9. ↑ Cericola, Rachel. "The Best Outdoor Security Camera". New York Times Wirecutter. Archived from the original on 2025-03-13. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  10. ↑ Patterson, Ben (2020-04-02). "The new $35 Blink Mini indoor camera is Blink's least expensive cam yet". Tech Hive. Archived from the original on 2022-05-24. Retrieved 2025-03-10.
  11. ↑ Brown, Micheal (2021-03-19). "Amazon's Blink offers new storage options for its home security camera line". Tech Hive. Archived from the original on 2022-01-22. Retrieved 2025-03-10.
  12. ↑ "Purchasing and Managing Blink Subscription Plans (US)". Blink. Archived from the original on 2025-03-15. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  13. ↑ "Blink Storage Options". Blink. Archived from the original on 2025-03-15. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  14. ↑ u/SandiB14. "Is legacy account gone? : r/blinkcameras". Reddit. Archived from the original on 2025-03-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ↑ u/sonnythemoney (2022-11-15). "The Truth about Blink without a subscription. : r/blinkcameras". Reddit. Archived from the original on 2025-03-10. Retrieved 2025-03-10.
  16. ↑ Ricker, Thomas (2021-04-16). "Why does Amazon hate its most enthusiastic smart home fans?". TheVerge. Archived from the original on 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  17. ↑ "Blink Home Monitor". Google Play. Archived from the original on 2021-07-28. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Blink Storage Options". Blink. Archived from the original on 2025-03-15. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 "Blink Device Software Security Updates". Blink. Archived from the original on 2025-03-15. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 20.8 "Cameras and Systems". Blink. Archived from the original on 2025-03-04. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
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