HomeKit Withings Home Plus smart security camera launches at CES

AppleInsider

Withings on Wednesday unveiled the Home Plus, a HomeKit-enabled security camera capable of streaming video over a home network to a mobile device.

While the Home Plus retains an external design and core functionality of its predecessor, the Home, Withings was able to bake native HomeKit integration into the new version.

Equipped with a HD camera with low light recording capabilities, the Home Plus can be used as both a security camera and a baby monitor. Features include two-way communications hardware, light and music programs and air quality monitoring. In addition, notifications can be sent if the camera detects noises and movement, while a two-day event log, continuous video recording option and a 24-hour time lapse function are also available.

The main addition, however, is HomeKit support that makes the video feed and other software features accessible within Apple's Home app. Users have the ability to create automated actions connected to events generated by the Home Plus, such as turning on lights in a room if an intruder is detected, and to perform a number of actions through Siri. Compatibility with HomeKit also allows for remote Apple Watch control and video streaming to Apple TV.

Expected to ship in the first quarter of this year, the Withings Home Plus is priced at $199.

Late last month, Apple stopped selling Withings products from its stores. While no official reason has been provided by Apple, some have speculated the move was in response to a patent dispute with Withings parent company Nokia.

eightzero

AI needs to report the prices as "starting at $199." There's almost always a subscription fee with all this @internetofshit

StrangeDays

eightzero said:

AI needs to report the prices as "starting at $199." There's almost always a subscription fee with all this @internetofshit

I do wish they would offer a "use yer own" local storage option.

williamh

eightzero said:

AI needs to report the prices as "starting at $199." There's almost always a subscription fee with all this @internetofshit

Homekit is nice but Good Lord if one wants a security camera check out Netgear's Arlo cameras.  The only point of this Withings camera seems to be Homekit. You want to catch intruders only after they're already ransacking your place?  No.  Check out Arlo: Weatherproof, battery powered, free subscription for the cloud part of it, and simple enough for ANYONE to set up.  It stores the previous 7 days free and you can pay for longer storage. In practice, if there's anything interesting (security related, there's never anything otherwise interesting), we download that recording. It happened.  Recorded somebody that broke into my neighbor's car.

54163-84751

williamh said:

eightzero said:

AI needs to report the prices as "starting at $199." There's almost always a subscription fee with all this @internetofshit

Homekit is nice but Good Lord if one wants a security camera check out Netgear's Arlo cameras.  The only point of this Withings camera seems to be Homekit. You want to catch intruders only after they're already ransacking your place?  No.  Check out Arlo: Weatherproof, battery powered, free subscription for the cloud part of it, and simple enough for ANYONE to set up.  It stores the previous 7 days free and you can pay for longer storage. In practice, if there's anything interesting (security related, there's never anything otherwise interesting), we download that recording. It happened.  Recorded somebody that broke into my neighbor's car.

You gotta check out Canary, motion detection, night vision, audible alarm, self arming, environmental sensors. Although only 24 hrs cloud storage, you gotta subscribe for more. 

nasserae

williamh said:

eightzero said:

AI needs to report the prices as "starting at $199." There's almost always a subscription fee with all this @internetofshit

Homekit is nice but Good Lord if one wants a security camera check out Netgear's Arlo cameras.  The only point of this Withings camera seems to be Homekit. You want to catch intruders only after they're already ransacking your place?  No.  Check out Arlo: Weatherproof, battery powered, free subscription for the cloud part of it, and simple enough for ANYONE to set up.  It stores the previous 7 days free and you can pay for longer storage. In practice, if there's anything interesting (security related, there's never anything otherwise interesting), we download that recording. It happened.  Recorded somebody that broke into my neighbor's car.

Except that Arlo lacks one critical feature. It does not have a mic. So no sound.

potatoleeksoup

nasserae said:

williamh said:

eightzero said:

AI needs to report the prices as "starting at $199." There's almost always a subscription fee with all this @internetofshit

Homekit is nice but Good Lord if one wants a security camera check out Netgear's Arlo cameras.  The only point of this Withings camera seems to be Homekit. You want to catch intruders only after they're already ransacking your place?  No.  Check out Arlo: Weatherproof, battery powered, free subscription for the cloud part of it, and simple enough for ANYONE to set up.  It stores the previous 7 days free and you can pay for longer storage. In practice, if there's anything interesting (security related, there's never anything otherwise interesting), we download that recording. It happened.  Recorded somebody that broke into my neighbor's car.

Except that Arlo lacks one critical feature. It does not have a mic. So no sound.

Not true at all if you use the non-battery-powered Arlo Q (indoor intended), which has two-way audio.