Wyze Webview : Development Response Requested

Beta
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I contacted Wyze Support to complain and got the typical run around saying it’s a Beta and being worked on. Since there is no work being done that we can identify, I believe this is just BS. I have requested that a Developer respond on the Forum within a week to give us an update and plans.

If this does not happen, I suggest we get together as a user group and decide what action we can take. People are paying for Cam+ to use this feature and the fact nothing has been done and it’s so flaky, means we are being ripped off.

There is zero excuse for not providing updates, listening to users requirements/bug needs, or giving a GA date.

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Hello @lesshort, I was directed here by a Maven who saw your post. I can say the Web View is still in beta and it is being worked on even if it not directly visible.

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Well thanks for a completely useless update frankly Jason (@WyzeJasonJ ). I’ve been a part of many Beta programs - none of them acted like you. They engaged their Beta users, they put out incremental changes, and the product gets closer to GA. Have you done that - no? So it’s nonsense to call it a Beta - it’s simply a way to get revenue from Cam+ isn’t it?

I asked for simple things. What are the current requirements being worked on? When will see a significant code update to make it work even marginally better? Why are you not listening to us?

Telling us “it’s being worked on” makes me angry. Give us some real details, some real dates, and some feedback on the numerous suggestions, bugs, and concerns raised in the forum. If you don’t want our input, you are seriously misjudging the benefits. Can you not pick a subset of users to help test out new functionality and bug fixes?

Please, throw us a bone. Here, one simple common request; when will Sound be working?

Do better,
Les Short

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I gave the response I can because I am not a developer, I am a Community Manager and before that a volunteer moderator here. I have forwarded this on and will see if they give me any more info. the reason I said it is being worked on is because I am aware it is but I do not have the details. I will update when I can answer those questions. I know I will never be given dates though,

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Thank you! I contacted Support because I’d seen mention of a Class Action Suit. Clearly something is wrong - to say “it’s being worked on” is not wholly accurate, as we see no fixes, improvements, requirements, etc. We deserve to know what is going on, or whether to keep some Cam+ licenses.

Can you request that regular updates are posted? Just give us the list of current “problems” being worked. I know ETA dates are infamous, but will it GA this year, next year, never?

I’m curious as to how many developers are working on it, and why they don’t monitor the forum? That’s what it is for really. Ideally, you could add a tab to Webview and post latest updates there? At least new users logging on would see something.

I appreciate your help, but Wyze management really should do better - they are the ones calling the shots?

Les

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“We deserve to know what is going on…”

[Mod Edit] You don’t ‘deserve’ anything… you bought products, not a right to know anything and everything about development, bugs, timelines, …

I don’t disagree with your assessment that Wyze can do MUCH better with communication, but … they in no way, owe you or me anything beyond what we have paid for and they sold to us.

[Mod Edit]

MOD NOTE: Post edited to conform to the Community Guidelines.

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Bull!
Anyone who is paying for Cam Plus based on a future enhancement is a fool - with ANY product.

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I’m w\ @Earl.Automation and @K6CCC here. Some expectation adjustment is in order.

Just because YOU don’t see fixes, improvements, requirements, etc. Doesn’t mean it isn’t being worked on… Unless, of course, you have some magical back door insight into the internal alpha model being tested on their private web server prior to public implementation. It just isn’t being developed fast enough for you with the features you want.

[Mod Edit] If you think you deserve to be regularly informed of the progress in developing this “Value Added Feature”, you are going to be sadly disappointed for a very long time.

[Mod Edit]

If you take a look at my post Hx, you will see that I am not at all shy about being critical of Wyze when Core Functionality is degraded by incomplete and faulty updates. BUT… This is NOT Core Functionality. It is a Value Added Feature.

The foundation of your position is that the Web View is a critical operational function of CamPlus and that without it, you aren’t getting what you are paying for in CamPlus. Faulty logic. This is an add-on after the fact that simply adds value to your already useful CamPlus subscription. Be grateful you don’t get charged extra for it.

CamPlus came out LONG before WebView. It still works like it was designed. That is what the app is for. And, WebView Beta is working. I can view my cams and my events. It just doesn’t have all the bells, whistles, features and enhancements you want. Perhaps a quick look at the age of some of the more popular items on the Wishlist will provide you with some perspective. Many are older than WebView itself. Are we entitled to those enhancements? Do we deserve to be updated on development and to know how many man hours Wyze is dedicating to meeting our demanding expectations?

No. That is not what the forum is for. This is a User Community Forum for users to correspond, exchange ideas, and help each other. This is not a Wyze Employee Messaging service.

One of the functions I do like about this Discord Forum Format is that users have the ability to delete their posts. It is quite useful. You should give it a shot.

EDIT: On second thought. Talk to the hand. :raised_hand: User Ignored.

MOD NOTE: Post edited to conform to the Community Guidelines.

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Latest statement about Webview was made by Wyze’s VP of Product today during an AMA including some kind of time estimate on something related to it as requested:

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And yet many Wyze users are doing just that - we assumed a Beta would not take a year. And, as usual, you call your users arrogant and self-entitled? I suggest you try working for a decent software company and compare how they treat the users that are paying their salaries!

We should be entitled to updates on a “Beta Forum” - that’s how they work. Saying the “Beta Forum” is user-to-user not only sounds stupid, it is stupid. Have you ever worked on a Beta? Here’s a how a good one is run. First of all, you contact some power users and ask them to sign up to help test. You provide a forum (oooh, you mean like a Beta Forum?). The users get the Beta code and provide feedback through the development process up until GA. The final product is much better because you actually listened to your users and put in requirements. Wyze can do they want, but don’t put the problem on me. Typically they are forced to pay for the privilege.

Indeed, a Wyze VP felt the need to provide a webview update, so someone knew users were getting angry and fed up, something you and others failed to realize. If you’re going to be a Maven, provide help, not your opinion.

We - the users - do deserve better. I’m not the only one, I’m just being more vocal. As a Maven, why don’t you get back to Wyze and tell them to do better, rather than putting concerned users down.

Anyway, no real issue any more for me - I am not going to be buying any more Wyze gear since it so badly managed. Interestingly, the hardware side seems competent, but the software side seem mostly “not so good” - maybe hire another Developer?

As a Maven, please help and support the user community - else what is the point?

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Thanks for calling so many Wyze users fools. We expected a Beta product that required Cam+ to work relatively well and become a GA product. To blame the users is disrespectful, and wrong.

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An arrogant and unhelpful response was expected. Since a Wyze VP felt pressure to provide an update, you are clearly mistaken. And you completely missed the point about Cam+ - people bought Cam+ just to use webview - clearly they are also stupid?

We should be entitled to updates on a “Beta Forum” - that’s how they work. Saying the “Beta Forum” is user-to-user not only sounds stupid, it is stupid. You don’t create a Beta forum unless you plan to leverage it - so you are wrong again.

Have you ever worked on a Beta? Here’s a how a good one is run. First of all, you contact some power users and ask them to sign up to help test. You provide a forum (oooh, you mean like a Beta Forum?). The users get the Beta code and provide feedback through the development process up until GA. The final product is much better because you actually listened to your users and put in requirements. Wyze can do they want, but don’t put the problem on me. Typically they are not forced to pay for the privilege.

Good software companies do share requirements, etc - that’s why they have user group meetings to discuss future plans and ensure it fits in with user requirements. Stop defending Wyze for it’s horrible user support.

Indeed, a Wyze VP felt the need to provide a webview update, so someone knew users were getting angry and fed up, something you and others failed to realize.

We - the users - do deserve better. I’m not the only one, I’m just being more vocal. Why don’t you get back to Wyze and tell them to do better, rather than putting concerned users down.

Anyway, no real issue any more for me - I am not going to be buying any more Wyze gear since it so badly managed. Interestingly, the hardware side seems competent, but the software side seem mostly “not so good” - maybe hire another Developer?

You don’t need to be PC, we users can take it.

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Well better than nothing. But a year of Beta and an amazing team? Seriously out of touch with reality.

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Nope. You are wrong. This entire forum is a USER forum. Wyze is very open about that fact. Yes, a few Wyze employees show up once in a while, but it is not actively monitored by Wyze.

And no one is going to claim that communication and customer service is the standard by which other companies should strive (although I recently had a customer service issue that was damn near stellar quality).

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@K6CCC… Jim, I am looking for the Wyze Beta Forum where I can have direct unrestricted access to the Wyze Developers. But, all I could find is this User Forum. Can you shoot me some directions? My compass seems to be malfunctioning.

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What a dumb comment - bye bye. I’ve been a Beta manager on multiple software products - this is NOT how it is done. Wyze may say it’s a user only forum, but that is plainly BS when it comes to a Beta. Since you have clearly no idea on how a Beta is supposed to work, please don’t try to defend this anymore.

Wyze, if you’re looking, please do a proper Beta.

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Honestly nobody is wrong here, and yet things have gotten too heated. Someone who paid for CamPlus exactly because the WebView Beta existed (and since paid CamPlus is required for WebView) may have ultimately made a mistake, but it was a very honest and understandable mistake. Betas have often meant high expectations (famously with the decade long beta that was GMail) and I understand the frustration entirely.

The best approach would have been to stop paying for CamPlus earlier on or to just enjoy the other CamPlus features. I recall that they were pretty open about this being a beta and not to count on it. I too have no expectation that another company’s developers are going to listen to me. :slight_smile:

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As there seems to be some confusion by some people on what constitutes a Beta, here are three excellent definitions. Tell me you don’t understand a Beta without telling me you don’t understand a Beta.

Of course, Wyze can go it’s own way, but the earlier goofballs who called me arrogant clearly have no substantiative experience or knowledge. I’ve worked in multiple software products, all of which followed the basic principles below. We ALWAYS involved the users - it’s almost a basic requirement of a Beta to validate our users will see a GA product that meets their needs.

So who’s being arrogant? A Wyze VP had obviously gotten wind of user complaints, and maybe the comments about legality. He found time to update us, even though he gave very little. But he gave an expected GA date! So this thing will be in “Beta” for a year. No working with users, no updates, and no confidence.

The real question, is why would Wyze not follow these perfectly good guidelines? I’m sure there are many reasons, not least being costs, staffing, and workload. But come clean and be honest about some of the concerns! “We are working on it, but it’s currently best-effort due to conflicting needs”. That’s basically what the VP said - we’re working on Firefox (how long does it take to fix that? It should not be months). So stop calling it a Beta and call it a preview - no user input wanted thank you. At least be honest with us.

  1. “In software development, a beta test is the second phase of software testing in which a sampling of the intended audience tries the product out . Originally, the term alpha test meant the first phase of testing in a software development process.”

  2. “Software developers release beta versions of software in order to garner useful feedback before releasing the final version of a program. They often provide web forums that allow beta testers to post their feedback and discuss their experience using the software. Some beta software programs even have a built-in feedback feature that allows users to submit feature requests or bugs. In most cases, a software developer will release multiple “beta” versions of a program. during the beta phase. Each version includes updates and bug fixes that have been made in response to user feedback. The beta phase may last anywhere from a few weeks for a small program to several months for a large program.”.

  3. " Beta, is the software development phase following alpha. Software in the beta stage is also known as betaware . A beta phase generally begins when the software is feature complete but likely to contain a number of known or unknown bugs. Software in the beta phase will generally have many more bugs in it than completed software and speed or performance issues, and may still cause crashes or data loss. The focus of beta testing is reducing impacts to users, often incorporating usability testing. The process of delivering a beta version to the users is called beta release and is typically the first time that the software is available outside of the organization that developed it. Software beta releases can be either public or private, depending on whether they are openly available or only available to a limited audience. Beta version software is often useful for demonstrations and previews within an organization and to prospective customers."

I don’t really see why I should have to point how to run a Beta, or how to run a company that respects it’s users (no, let’s make a gun safe instead!). Revenue is vital for the long term of the company, but if you lose customers due to an unwillingness to communicate, then you will customers and revenue.

Wyze was started by Amazon employees? I’ve never had a single bad customer experience with Amazon - their support, for such a huge company, is extremely good. It’s a shame that customer focus never made it to Wyze. Since you still work with Amazon, why not ask what you are doing wrong, and why you insist on being insular and unhelpful? Maybe they could give you some tips, since my comments are clearly not welcomed.

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So you’re saying Wyze has no responsibility for offering a “Beta” requiring Cam+, for a “product” that is so buggy and lacking in features for over 6 months. You need to try and find out how many actual customers bought Cam+ because they desperately wanted a web interface (and you could have looked at Rings web dashboard to see how it should be done).

Wyze should at least apologize to those customers. Why are folks so keen to defend Wyze practices?

Somebody is wrong here - you folks are just not getting it.

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As many have stated this is primarily a user to user forum, there are a few employees who do look at the forum. I am probably the one that looks at it the most and I am not a developer.

As far as why the VP of product commented on it was not due to customers getting angry, it was in a Reddit AMA and someone asked for an update and one was given.

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