CES 2018: NETGEAR's Arlo Baby Monitoring Camera Now Supports HomeKit

[MacRumors]

NETGEAR at CES 2018 this week announced its Arlo Baby monitoring camera will soon be compatible with Apple's HomeKit platform.

A new HomeKit-enabled version of the Arlo Baby camera will be released soon, and a firmware update will automatically add HomeKit support to existing models at no additional cost to customers.

HomeKit support will enable iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch users to access the majority of Arlo Baby's features for smart monitoring of your baby in Apple's Home app on iOS 10 and watchOS 3 or newer software versions.

NETGEAR shared a list of some of the Arlo Baby's functions that can be controlled with the Home app or Siri voice commands:
Live video stream viewing of your baby via the Arlo Baby camera feed
Two-way audio for talking, cooing and listening to your baby and other people near the camera
Quick view of the most recent screenshot recorded by Arlo Baby when the camera was last activated
Voice control by asking Siri to show you your camera's live stream
Remotely access the camera's live video/audio feed and two-way communication when you have an iPad or fourth generation or newer Apple TV in your home.Many of these functions previously required downloading NETGEAR's Arlo companion app, which will remain available on the App Store.

Arlo Baby features 1080p video recording with a rolling seven days of free cloud recordings, infrared night vision capabilities, two-way audio, ambient air quality sensors, a music-and-sound player, and a dimmable night light.

The camera sends real-time, customizable alerts to your Apple devices when motion or sound is detected, including your baby crying. It is primarily intended to be plugged into an AC wall adapter, but it also has a built-in rechargeable backup battery that lasts up to six hours in the daytime and up to three hours at night.

Arlo Baby can be personalized into animals like a bunny, kitten, or puppy with add-on character sets. The camera is available to purchase on Amazon and at major retailers for a suggested price of $249.99 in the United States, but it may take some time for the HomeKit firmware update to roll out.

Article Link: CES 2018: NETGEAR's Arlo Baby Monitoring Camera Now Supports HomeKit

 

[Sethal]

What about the rest of their cameras?

 

[QandnotU]

I hope they plan to expose the air sensors as accessories in HomeKit.

 

[coumerelli]

All this IoT stuff coming out today better be fort knocks tight with security in mind. Have companies not learned anything the last several years about hardcoding default root access?

 

[brianb722]

What about the rest of their cameras?

From a twitter response to someone else earlier today...

"No official plans or announcement yet."

 

[finchwizard]

From a twitter response to someone else earlier today...

"No official plans or announcement yet."

Netgear with their Arlo line have an INCREDIBLE track record of only implementing the new features in their new cameras, even though there is talk or they say they will put it in the old stuff.

It's getting to be a very frustrating system. Just feels like we're beta testing each product.

They were supposed to enable USB local recording on Gen1, has the hardware there, they mentioned they would do it and changed their mind, sorry have to buy Gen2.

The ArloQ's which a lot of people bought to use instead of their Baby monitors and just use in the house, had local LAN support, at least the app would connect to it at some stage but it broke (Or took away) when the Baby one came out and then they said if you want low latency local network then this is it.

The concept, some parts of how it works is great, but it's very frustrating for some people with the older tech.

And Geofencing just seems permanently broken regardless of version.

 

[EdT]

I hope they plan to expose the air sensors as accessories in HomeKit.

Part of the reason HomeKit is having problems getting manufacturers is because their security requirements are higher than what most other smart home systems require. I don’t remember which security camera forum I was reading but there were comments about the level of encryption and validation Apple requires that no one else does in a consumer level camera. Most thought it unnecessary.

 

[OlliFlamme]

I hope they plan to expose the air sensors as accessories in HomeKit.

So you get notified when it’s about time to deal with baby’s poo

 

[avanpelt]

Part of the reason HomeKit is having problems getting manufacturers is because their security requirements are higher than what most other smart home systems require. I don’t remember which security camera forum I was reading but there were comments about the level of encryption and validation Apple requires that no one else does in a consumer level camera. Most thought it unnecessary.

And yet for a period of time last year, anyone could’ve gotten root access on a Mac running the latest (at the time) OS. The lesson to be learned from that is that there are holes in everything — even HomeKit-enabled devices.

On another related note, as a Hue user, I wish Apple did more to make Home.app on iOS a go-to app for people who are embracing HomeKit devices. As it stands now, Home.app is primarily configured on my iOS devices because I couldn’t use Siri or the Home Control Center shortcut to control HomeKit stuff without having the app configured. Home.app is clearly an afterthought and it makes it seem as though Apple doesn’t really give a damn about increasing HomeKit adoption rates.

 

[Solomani]

Part of the reason HomeKit is having problems getting manufacturers is because their security requirements are higher than what most other smart home systems require. I don’t remember which security camera forum I was reading but there were comments about the level of encryption and validation Apple requires that no one else does in a consumer level camera. Most thought it unnecessary.

Interesting tidbit here.
[doublepost=1515577661][/doublepost]

So you get notified when it’s about time to deal with baby’s poo

That would be for an upcoming product: SmartDiapers.

SmartDiaper sends your phone a notification when it needs to be changed.