Camera system with on base/on cam AI, no sub required. (Make things right).
Hey all,
I’ve been a Wyze customer for a very long time. That being said, I do remember the days when Wyze was scrappy and all about undercutting the competition. You brought features to Wifi cameras that cost $20-30 that competitors were selling for hundreds more, with a subscription. You were and perhaps still are, disruptive. But somewhere, something changed. Suddenly you said, well, it’s too expensive to put AI into the camera, so we’re putting it into the cloud. This way, we can give you more advanced features for cheaper. To be frank, it felt very bait and switch, but I went along with that change because I got it. Instead of loading the camera with hardware and “AI”, it was/is cheaper to do it all in the cloud and so, you moved to put most of, if not all of your proverbial “chickens into a cloud basket”. But now, things are changing. There’s competition out there proving that you can put advanced features on the camera or a “base” and while the system is more expensive ‘upfront’, the savings add up with/over time. Right now, I have a 3 camera plan with Wyze, I’m paying $35 yearly on a ‘special’ that I’m not sure will be in place at the time of renewal. My protection plan shot up to $60 yearly (which isn’t terrible, as it gives me an additional camera sub) but I’m paying Wyze $100 in subs for 4 cameras.
I’m not necessarily asking you to change your ways. I’m asking you to maybe, consider an alternative operating route, a fork, you may say, in your business plan. I love Wyze. I will always at least have 1 sub going with you! But with the competition, I own 4 (4k) solar powered wifi cameras (wired power for ~500, solar power for ~800) and get all the AI (Facial recognition, Human detection, Vehicle detection, Pet detection, and more with firmware updates) with the system. It also allows me to pop an SSD into the base for several TB of storage if necessary. I also own another little system where the base uses a Micro SD and it comes with 2 battery cams that do motion and human detection ($50, different brand).
I’m asking you to look into something similar. If other companies are doing it, surely you can. A camera system with a base station like your wireless system, but with everything loaded into the camera or a base station…at perhaps a more premium price point, for those of us who don’t wish to deal with subs all over the place. I envision it in a similar fashion as your “Pro” products…Mesh Pro, Cam V3 Pro (except, w/o sub). Let’s get Wyze back into being scrappy and disruptive again.
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