The above argument begs the question "Why is it that most [users] don't use cloud functionality?" I would proffer it is not because most users don't want it (as the argument appears to imply), but because they can't afford it. But build a Viofo A139 with cloud functionality at an affordable price to the average user and including some sort of incentive for the ongoing carrier charge (e.g., Similar to SiriusXM's first 6 months free) and I can see the majority of Voifo A139 users switching to cloud functionality. In summary, you get what you pay for.
Of course everyone would like cloud functionality, if it didn't involve any cost or effort or other drawbacks.
Why do people buy dashcams? For most it is an extension to their insurance. Having video of an accident you were involved in makes insurance claims much easier, and sometimes will prove it was not your fault when otherwise you would have had to take some of the blame. But that video is stored on your memory card, so there is no need for the cloud, in this case the cloud would only be useful if it was easier to access with no additional drawbacks.
There is currently always a drawback to the cloud functionality; currently Blackvue and Thinkware store video in the cloud in SD resolution; it is terrible quality compared to what is on the memory card, and insufficient resolution to read plates or recognise faces. Although it may, on some cameras, be possible to download original quality video via the cloud, this is always very slow.
So when does the cloud video come in useful?
- When your memory card gets stolen.
- When you need access to your video remotely.
No. 1 doesn't really help, because if the memory card gets stolen, it probably requires an insurance claim to cover the theft, and although a cloud video may show the theft in progress, you still need to make the insurance claim. The only advantage is to the police and insurance company who may manage to recover the stolen items or recover the costs from the thieves. It is of no benefit to yourself. OK, if the thief only steals the memory card then that is not worth an insurance claim, so if you can recover it from the thief yourself then you may benefit, but this benefit isn't going to cover the cost of the dashcam, and in any case, on this forum we see very few thefts of memory cards, dashcams containing memory cards, or cars containing dashcams.
No. 2, I'm not convinced you ever need remote access. Some people like to have remote access to check their car is OK, but I think the excitement of that functionality very quickly wears off and people stop using it. Personally, if my car was damaged in a carpark, and I had a choice of knowing immediately, or enjoying the rest of my day before finding out and having to deal with the problem, I would prefer the latter! The only exception is possibly when parked in a works carpark where I could drop everything I'm doing and rush outside to see what just impacted my vehicle. That would allow me to be very angry with the person who had just accidentally tapped my vehicle while getting into theirs, rather than having to deal with the issue in a civilised way later, assuming that I made it outside in time, before they had left the scene, and assuming that they weren't going to apologize anyway, and of course you couldn't stop them leaving the scene until you had actually checked the damage; being very angry before looking at the damage, when they had gently tapped plastic against plastic with no actual damage would not be good!
Using foreseeable technology, we are never going to be able to store 4K front + 2K rear + FHD internal, left & right, in the cloud. Memory cards are always going to store better quality video, and currently they store considerably better quality video, so the usefulness of the cloud is very limited, to very unusual circumstances.
There are a few other uses for the cloud that some people may be interested in, such as tracking the vehicle location, remembering where you have parked, live monitoring of driving standards, maybe of the kids (although I don't think kids should be driving), using your vehicle for remote video surveillance, but there are not many people buying dashcams for any of these purposes, and most of these are done better by other devices. My watch always remembers where I parked, and I can ask it to guide me there without even touching it.
So I think the main use for cloud functionality is to deal with USA cops, who seem to have a reputation for stealing video evidence stored on memory cards. Outside of the USA this isn't an issue.
So what is it that you think most users would use cloud functionality for, if it was available?
If there is something really useful that it can do then cost is not an issue.
More of an issue is the effort required to set it up, but I think that can be solved, if there is something really useful that it can do for most people.
dashcamtalk.com
shop.blackvue.com