Blink: Difference between revisions

{{InfoboxCompany

| Name = Blink

| Type = Subsidiary

| Founded = 2009

| Industry = Home security

| Official Website = https://blinkforhome.com/

| Logo = Blink.png

}}'''{{wplink|Blink Home |Blink}}''' is a manufacturer of home security cameras owned by [[Amazon]]. The company was acquired from Immedia Semiconductor as a subsidiary in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.androidcentral.com/amazon-buys-smart-doorbell-and-camera-maker-blink|title=Amazon buys smart doorbell and camera maker Blink|first=Joe|last=Maring|date=2017-12-22|work=Android Central|access-date=2025-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103194309/https://www.androidcentral.com/amazon-buys-smart-doorbell-and-camera-maker-blink|archive-date=2023-11-03|url-status=live}}</ref>

Blink is one of the most well known battery-powered camera brands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/home/security/best-wireless-home-security-cameras/|title=Best Wireless Home Security Cameras of 2025 |first1=Tyler|last1=Lacoma|first2=Macy|last2=Meyer|work=CNET|access-date=2025-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250313015340/https://www.cnet.com/home/security/best-wireless-home-security-cameras/|archive-date=2025-03-13|url-status=live}}</ref> Though there are others such as from [[TP-Link]], [[Arlo]], [[Nest]], and [[Eufy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-wireless-outdoor-home-security-camera/|title=The Best Outdoor Security Camera|first=Rachel|last=Cericola|work=New York Times Wirecutter|access-date=2025-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250313010507/https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-wireless-outdoor-home-security-camera/|archive-date=2025-03-13|url-status=live}}</ref>

With the release of the Outdoor 3 and Mini<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.techhive.com/article/578452/the-blink-mini-indoor-camera-is-blinks-least-expensive-cam-yet.html|title=The new $35 Blink Mini indoor camera is Blink’s least expensive cam yet|first=Ben|last=Patterson|work=Tech Hive|date=2020-04-02|access-date=2025-03-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524034607/https://www.techhive.com/article/578452/the-blink-mini-indoor-camera-is-blinks-least-expensive-cam-yet.html|archive-date=2022-05-24|url-status=live}}</ref> in 2020, Blink began switching from a free cloud model to a subscription system (finalized in early 2021<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.techhive.com/article/579287/blink-announces-new-storage-options.html|title=Amazon’s Blink offers new storage options for its home security camera line|first=Micheal|last=Brown|work=Tech Hive|date=2021-03-19|access-date=2025-03-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122142210/https://www.techhive.com/article/579287/blink-announces-new-storage-options.html|archive-date=2022-01-22|url-status=live}}</ref>). The "basic plan" only allows 1 device per account ($3/m or $30/y<ref name="SubAmazon" />), while the "plus plan" allows for unlimited devices and includes an extended device warranty ($10/m or $100/y<ref name="SubAmazon" />).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://support.blinkforhome.com/en_GB/subscriptions/purchase-blink-subscription-plan|title=Purchasing and Managing Blink Subscription Plans (US) |work=Blink|access-date=2025-03-15|archive-url=https://archive.ph/Y8YOv|archive-date=2025-03-15|url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://support.blinkforhome.com/en_GB/using-your-camera/blink-storage-options|title=Blink Storage Options|work=Blink|access-date=2025-03-15|archive-url=https://archive.ph/Ctoav|archive-date=2025-03-15|url-status=live}}</ref> Some users with legacy accounts have had issues where the app would have users on a "30 day trial period" when upgrading cameras.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/blinkcameras/comments/16gft91/is_legacy_account_gone/|title=Is legacy account gone? : r/blinkcameras|author=u/SandiB14|work=Reddit|archive-url=https://archive.ph/eOPNd|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>

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>

For older cameras such as the Indoor, XT, and XT2, the local storage option for the Sync Module 2 cannot be utilized.<ref name="localstorage">{{Cite web|url=https://support.blinkforhome.com/en_GB/using-your-sync-module/sync-module-2-local-storage-operation|title=Blink Storage Options|work=Blink|access-date=2025-03-15|archive-url=https://archive.ph/YEe0k|archive-date=2025-03-15|url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref name="localstorage" /> Although the inclusion of previous camera models in local storage can be changed with a software update, that has not occurred.

**Sync Module (2016)<ref name="BDSSU">{{Cite web|url=https://support.blinkforhome.com/en_GB/blink-device-software-security-updates|title=Blink Device Software Security Updates|work=Blink|access-date=2025-03-15|archive-url=https://archive.ph/Z76S0|archive-date=2025-03-15|url-status=live}}</ref>

**Video doorbell (2021)<ref name="BP" />