UPDATE: This change is being postponed to give folks more time to find compatible devices. Thanks for the feedback, everyone! We’ll move forward with this change later this month or starting next month instead.
Dear Friends,
We always aim to provide a better app experience. Some of our upcoming features have a minimum operating system (OS) requirement to function effectively. Because of this and the existing challenges with older OS compatibility, the 2.22 app release scheduled for July 7th will stop supporting device OS versions lower than Android 7.0 and iOS 12.0. Devices with lower OS versions will no longer be able to update the Wyze app from Google Play and the Apple App Store.
If you haven’t done so already, please take some time and update your device OS today. If you have any secondary devices that you’ve used with the Wyze app, you may want to check their OS versions to make sure they’re updated. If you’ve already updated, please disregard this email.
Oh, this is exciting, must mean some exciting features are scheduled for July. Let’s see, what do we know is in development that could possibly be affected by the OS version?
I’m guessing different notification alerts for different devices and such. That could definitely be an OS issue especially since this says we need at least Android 7 and in that version of Android they revamped notifications (including grouping relevant packages and allowing interactions with notifications), so I am guessing this is a big part of the reason for requiring Android 7 now, indicating the update might be about the notification updates! That’s some good detective work there if I do say so myself…
Even when they aren’t officially announcing anything, little comments like “requiring Android 7” might be enough to give us some good hints to be excited about.
Would also be exciting if the new role-based user permissions were coming, including sharing the HMS. Though I am guessing OS version wouldn’t affect that much.
I am guessing Geofencing is a ways off like end of the year or later, and OS version probably wouldn’t affect that much, but that would really sweet to be ready now.
I understand. This is one of the benefits of not being part of Alpha tests related to features in question. I can speculate publicly for fun because I have no actual inside information on the topic.
You do have the inside information so you sometimes have to wait for agreement from the team.
Sometimes I half expect Wyze to offer to have me test things just to shut me up with an NDA j/k
We appreciate you when you do say any little things, including courtesy notices like this. Thanks.
I have an iPhone 6 (iOS12). Cannot update to iOS13. Does the last app that works with iOS12 currently will work after the new release that needs iOS13 and +?
Wyze has decided that android releases prior to 7.0 and IOS releases prior to 12.0 are legacy releases.
There should be a legacy app that continues to work forever for products bought before July 7th.
Otherwise the cost of updating your device should be calulated into the price of any of their products. I don’t think the cost of buying a few cam v3’s compares to the cost of buying a pair of new Iphones.
Agree 100% with horn. Not everyone can afford $1000.00 Smartphones to operate a $25.00 camera. Why does Wyze want to have one app to control all of their product line?
Still waiting for Wyze to implement RTSP for the V3. They say they are working on it but nothing else. How about getting that to work.
Used to be a big supporter of Wyze, but no longer. Will never recommend them again.
English please for all use non-techies. What does all this mean? I will no longer be able to access the camera from my phone? How do we upgrade the app? Very confusing to put that out there without telling what we have to do to fix it.
Don’t worry too much about it. RTSP probably won’t affect you at all.
To overly simplify what they’re talking about in a way that’s easier to understand, “RTSP” is like an EXTRA special type of program some people like to install on their cameras so they can use them in a different way than everyone else. It lets you record video onto your computer easily, or connect to the camera locally through your router instead of going through the internet, and some stuff like that. It is something most people don’t use. Some of us (including me) like the benefits from this special option, but most people won’t use it or care. If you’ve never heard of “RTSP” then it’s almost definitely something you don’t need to worry about. It won’t affect you.
The OS issue will probably mostly affect people with older tablets that will no longer be able to use the new Wyze app. Hopefully people can still use the earlier versions of the Wyze app on older devices. Even if older versions can’t be downloaded and installed from Google, there are places online that store older versions of apps (secure and trustworthy) that we should hopefully be able to link people to to still be able to use. Just newer features won’t be available, and hopefully newer updates won’t cause issues with the older app versions, but we’ll have to see how it plays out.
As for phones, sure, not everyone can afford $1K phones, but there are phones and tablets selling for as little as $50 to own outright that support Android 7. Or there are always specials and options to get brand new phone at $0 down and $0 monthly cost with a 2 year contract for phones that support the latest OS, so it’s not really accurate to indicate someone needs to spend a ton of money to get a phone that will work with Android 7 or higher. Don’t worry too much about all of that. This requirement to have at least Android 7 will be something that does not impact very many people (most won’t notice a difference). If you have a phone older 2016 (more than 5 years old, so like 6+ years old) then you probably need a new phone anyway because there are TONS of apps that refuse to work with OS’s that old, and it shouldn’t be a surprise because there should’ve been tons of other apps refusing to install already. Wyze will not be doing anything the majority of active App developers already require. It will make things better for the majority of users by not having to cater to ancient standards.
So I don’t need to buy a new cell phone mines an apple 6 it’s all up to date . It’s great you want to support people and new ideas but I can’t afford to buy a new cell phone . I like most people had to deal with COVID 19 lock down taking care of the kids and paying bills and the list goes on and on
i just received the “Update your device OS to keep using the Wyze app on your phone.”
“Some of our upcoming features have a minimum operating system (OS) requirement to function effectively.”
What features are these? I dont think they are any of the top requested features from the wish list, as they could have been done with any version of android.
Its more likely that the development team has been overloaded with work (to support wyze vaccums and scales) & have complained they need to start cutting corners, one being, supporting legacy APIs .
j/k
