A HUGE British tech brand with more than two million customers is preparing to shut down its security cameras and sirens in a matter of days.
Warning emails seen by The Sun have been sent out to affected users with important instructions before the cut off date.
2
2
Hive is owned by British Gas parent company Centrica – though you don’t need to be a British Gas customer to use their devices.
The firm started out in 2012 mainly specialising in smart heating before branching off into more smart home products such as lighting, connected cameras, motion sensors and sirens.
But three years ago Hive announced that it was phasing out its smart security products to focus on “energy-efficient smart-tech” instead.
While the devices have continued to work for existing users, they’ll now stop working entirely on August 1.
Read more about smart tech
The four products affected are:
- Hive View Camera
- Hive Siren and Keypad
- Hive Homeshield
- Hive Video Playback
Despite being security-relate products, the Hive Window/Door contact sensors and Hive motion sensors will continue to operate.
The email warns households to “download any footage you’d like to keep now” as it won’t be accessible after 11am on August 1.
“It is crucial that you save any required recordings before the cut-off period on the 1st of August 2025,” Hive says.
“Your data security is important to us, and we take disposal of data seriously.
“Therefore, our system will be unable to recover any video footage if you fail to save your recordings before the 1st of August 2025.”
Those with Hive home security products have fumed online about the move.
“They really need to refund our money,” one user wrote on Reddit.
” How can we just accept that we will no longer be able to use hive cameras again? Even the live stream will stop!!”
Another commented: “Yup total w***ers – a lot of money and setup wasted.”
Hive has recommended customers “recycle your devices at your local Household Waste Recycling Centre”.
WHY DOES TECH STOP WORKING?
By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
It’s annoying when tech and gadgets are discontinued, rendering some – or all – features useless.
Fortunately, companies have got better at lengthening how long they support kit.
It tends to only happen after quite a few years have passed and the user numbers have dropped quite low.
The truth of the matter is, firms have to keep updating and servicing this older tech which costs them money.
When there’s only a small number of people left using them older gadgets, it’s harder to justify the cost.
Moreover, new features on things like apps may not work on dated kit.
So ultimately, in the end support is dropped for these gadgets so all their energy, money and time can be put into the newer ones.
