Logitech's Circle 2 is first cam to support Apple's HomeKit Secure Video

AppleInsider · November 14, 2019 6:37PM

Logitech's Circle 2s became the first cameras to support Apple's HomeKit Secure Video storage feature on Thursday with the release of a beta firmware designed to upgrade units already in customers' hands.

HomeKit Secure Video allows users to safely store activity detected by the Circle 2 in iCloud and view live and recorded video from their Circle 2 camera in the Apple Home app on an iPhone, iPad or Mac, according to the Logitech press release.

Apple will store up to ten days of recordings inside of iCloud for one camera if subscribed to the 200GB iCloud Storage Plan, and will store up to ten days of recordings for five cameras if on the 2TB iCloud Storage Plan.

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HomeKit Secure Video recordings will not count against your storage capacity. The 2TB plan runs users $9.99 a month which is favorable compared to third-party storage plans and iCloud also has far more features to back it up outside of video storage.

AppleInsider has already checked out the Circle 2, noting that the camera itself is extremely reliable, though its integration with Apple HomeKit left a bit to be desired.

Those interested in purchasing the Logitech Circle 2 can snag one from Amazon for $143.46, with free shipping for those with Amazon Prime.

indiekiduk · November 14, 2019 7:54PM

5 cameras? Unless they fixed it you could only live view max 2 Circle cameras in HomeKit (among many other issues).

Given Logitech offer 24 hours of free recordings it's a shame Apple didn't match that, the day summary feature was quite handy too wonder if you get to keep that.

edited November 2019

wgkrueger · November 14, 2019 8:13PM

Excellent news. I’ll be adding my cameras back onto HomeKit now that I’ve got a good reason to :-)

edit: Well, once the Logitech code is out of beta that is.

edited November 2019

j2fusion · November 14, 2019 8:14PM

Anyone know if HomeKit Secure Video supports more than 5 cameras? Also, will you be able to switch between the Logitech storage and Apple’s?

mistergsf · November 14, 2019 8:22PM

indiekiduk said:

5 cameras? Unless they fixed it you could only live view max 2 Circle cameras in HomeKit (among many other issues).

Given Logitech offer 24 hours of free recordings it's a shame Apple didn't match that, the day summary feature was quite handy too wonder if you get to keep that.

I have had 3 Circle 2 cameras viewable in my Home App since they became HomeKit compatible. I've not had any issues at all with them; they've been very reliable in fact. They only thing that's bugged me is you can't do much with them in the Home App so I always use the Logi Circle app instead.

tstump · November 15, 2019 7:11AM

Great review. Super excited about this product and even more eager for future enhancements of both their product and apples underlying HomeKit technologies.

apples approach with HomeKit is definitely the smartest in the market. Making sure that Wi-Fi is secure enough to use in this application is imperative.

There still a little awkwardness in the coding of the device number.

boojiboy · November 15, 2019 1:05PM

Once you associate the cameras with secure video they are removed from the Circle app and fully controlled in the homekit app. I have 3 Circle 2s and one had an issue shortly after the update where one of the cameras locked up. I rebooted it and its fine. Other than that everything has been great. The interface is easy and the detection is amazing. You can select which types of motion to notify for. Like, people, pets and/or cars. I select only people and it actually works. For me, this is the first time ever a camera has correctly detected and notified the correct movement.

naiyas · November 15, 2019 6:57PM

As far as I am personally concerned, unless the cameras have a POE capability so I can turn the WiFi off they are useless to me. I may be old hat in this view, but I am not interested in devoting any WiFi bandwidth (in an over congested location) to cameras that I will be placing in a fixed location. Like my Apple TV's, "Smart" TV's, printer, desktop computer, in situ speakers etc, they all get networked via an Ethernet cable - more secure, far faster, and far more reliable than any WiFi based connection. The only WiFi enabled devices I actually use on WiFi are those that are moved around, laptops, mobiles, etc. Hence I'm disappointed the "wired" camera option is for power only... Any one know a good HSV enabled camera that is also Ethernet POE enabled?

tzterri · November 15, 2019 9:24PM

I just spent half a very frustrating day with Logi Circle 2 support after the firmware update bricked my camera.

The Firmware update tool to downgrade to the older firmware needs 10.1.4 and my Mac can only run 10.1.3.

As the camera is less than a month old in the end I told them to send me a replacement which they agreed to do after telling me to buy a new Mac which I plan on doing in a few months but not today as I have my eye on the 16 inch to replace my 17 inch.

5eaux4 · November 17, 2019 6:17PM

only issue I am having since installing the beta update is that now anytime I turn off a light the motion sensor sees it as motion in the room and turns the light back on.

Logitech's Circle 2 is first cam to support Apple's HomeKit Secure Video

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