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{{ | {{CompanyCargo | ||
| | |Founded=2009 | ||
| | |Industry=Home security | ||
| | |Logo=Blink.png | ||
| | |ParentCompany=Amazon | ||
| | |Type=Subsidiary | ||
| | |Website=https://blinkforhome.com/ | ||
}}'''{{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> | |Description=IoT camera manufacturer acquired by Amazon in 2017. Since 2020, the cameras require a subscription for cloud storage and other necessary features. | ||
}} | |||
'''{{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> | |||
==Consumer impact summary== | ==Consumer impact summary== | ||
====Freedom==== | ====Freedom==== | ||
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====Market control==== | ====Market control==== | ||
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> | 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]], [[wikipedia:Google_Nest|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> | ||
==Incidents== | ==Incidents== | ||
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===Planned obsolescence=== | ===Planned obsolescence=== | ||
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. | 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. | ||
===Enshitification=== | |||
Newer cameras such as the Blink Mini 2, Outdoor 4, Wired Floodlight, and Video Doorbell do not include motion snapshots in notifications as a result of "Early Notification".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/using-your-camera/image-notifications|title=What are Image Notifications?|work=Blink Support|access-date=2025-07-30|archive-url=https://archive.ph/9PGGZ|archive-date=2025-07-30|url-status=live}}</ref> This is enabled by default and there is no way for the consumer to disable this setting through the app. Users have shared their frustrations with this change, with one user on Reddit (u/Runner-170) commenting: {{Quote|New Outdoor 4 cameras (I bought 2 two months ago) and very disappointing. First there extended range feature is questionable. Second and most important to me Outdoor 4 cameras do not work with Amazon Echo Dot motion announcement. | |||
I have two older cameras 4-5 years, and they work fine. These announcements work very well obviously letting you know there has been some motion detected. I have been chatting with Blink tech support, and they know there is a known issue but have no information as to when they will fix. | |||
Hard to believe old equipment works new does not. Hard to believe someone doesn't have time to look at the software code to identify error code and copy over. I would think management would step in, as this should be easy fix; not to mention the bad publicity of selling new cameras that don't work well. No quality assurance. | |||
Very frustrating; I am thinking of sending them back and getting the older camera model.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/blinkcameras/comments/17z3trn/updated_half_of_my_cameras_to_blink_outdoor_4_and/|title=Updated half of my cameras to Blink Outdoor 4 and they don't show an image preview on notification but old ones still do?|author=u/darkmoon24|date=2023-11-19|work=Reddit|access-date=2025-08-11|archive-url=https://archive.ph/Qwvtm|archive-date=2025-08-11|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
}} | |||
<gallery> | |||
Blink Outdoor 3 Notification.jpg|Motion notification from Outdoor 3 camera (2020 model) | |||
Blink Outdoor 4 Notification.jpg|Motion notification from Outdoor 4 camera (2024 model) | |||
</gallery> | |||
==Products== | ==Products== | ||