Axis: Difference between revisions

Archived link to Axis website, https://archive.ph/8oCS2</ref>

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.

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/]

'''This restriction removes functionality without providing any benefit to the customer.'''

As part of their efforts to upgrade software while retaining legacy setups, Axis created Axis Companion after renaming the previous Companion to Companion Classic.

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

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 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>

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.

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 />