Amazon has revealed it’s ending support for its Cloud Cam home security camera toward the end of this year, though it’s aiming to soften the blow by offering owners a couple of freebies.

In a widely reported email sent by Amazon to affected customers, the company said it will replace the Cloud Cam with its newer security camera, the Blink Mini, and also provide a one-year Blink Subscription Plus Plan worth $100.

Amazon launched the Alexa-compatible Blink Mini in 2020, soon after it ended sales of the Cloud Cam. The company says the Mini offers “an easy-to-use indoor security camera experience with 1080p HD video, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connectivity, night vision, motion detection, and two-way audio.”

Customers with a Cloud Cam can continue to use the device until December 2. After that, the camera and its companion apps will lose their functionality. All video recording history will be deleted, too, though customers can save any footage by downloading it before the December deadline.

Anyone using Cloud Cam Key Edition as a Zigbee hub will no longer be able to use it to connect to compatible locks or manage pin codes in the Amazon Key app. In this case, affected owners will be given a free Echo (4th generation) that will serve as a Zigbee hub, enabling remote control of a connected lock using Alexa.

One potential annoyance is that once the year’s worth of free access ends, the new Blink Cam customers will have to sign up to at least the Basic Plan ($3 per month/$36 per year) to use some features — for example, quick video access — that were offered for free with the Cloud Cam.

In its recent email to Cloud Cam owners, Amazon said: “With your help over the last five years, Cloud Cam has served as a reliable indoor security camera and a hub for Amazon Key-compatible smart locks that work with Alexa. As the number of Alexa smart home devices continues to grow, we are focusing efforts on Ring, Blink, and other technologies that make your home smarter and simplify your everyday routines. Therefore, we have decided to no longer continue support for Amazon Cloud Cam and its companion apps.”

Amazon plans to send all registered Cloud Cam owners details on how to obtain their free Blink Mini and (if applicable) Echo before December.

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