Amazon is ending Cloud Cam service and offering owners a free Blink Mini

Amazon is ending support for its Cloud Cam security camera and offering owners a free Blink Mini to replace it. MacRumors noted the change late last week, and The Verge obtained a copy of an email sent to customers announcing the change. Cloud Cam owners will be able to use their cameras and download videos until December 2 this year, after which all recordings will be deleted and the hardware will no longer work. Customers with the Cloud Cam Key Edition will also lose the ability to connect to the Smart Lock, though they can get a free fourth-generation Echo to replace the functionality.

“As the number of Alexa smart home devices continues to grow, we are focusing on Ring, Blink and other technologies that make your home smarter and your everyday routine easier. Therefore, we have decided not to continue support for Amazon Cloud Cam and its companion apps," Amazon said in its email, which was also posted to Reddit.

In a statement to MacRumors, Amazon said that "we will continue to provide innovative smart home security solutions for our customers through Amazon's Ring and Blink brands." It also specifies that it will give Blink Mini cameras to users who are "still actively using their Cloud Cam", although it is unclear whether this is the formal criteria for receiving a free replacement. .

Cloud Cam owners will be emailed instructions on how to redeem their free Blink Mini and (for Key Edition owners) Echo before the December 2 deadline. The Blink Mini will come with a one-year subscription to Blink Subscription Plus, which typically costs $10 per month or $100 per year. A subscription — either the Plus or the $3 per month single-camera basic plan — is required for many Blink features, including fast access to video and motion-activated recording. Cloud Cam also required a paid subscription for advanced features, although it did offer some free options that required payment on the Blink Mini.

The Cloud Cam lineup launched in 2017 and closed in late 2019 when Amazon acquired security camera makers Blink and Ring. Now, Amazon is following a well-established pattern of companies bricking up smart home hardware because they no longer want to support its ecosystem. Customers won't be left completely without a replacement thanks to the replacement — but they'll still end up with some useless hardware they bought a few years ago.