Former Apple Employees' 'RearVision' Vehicle Camera Launches for $500

[Hennesie2000]

For cameras that are factory options, I'm typically seeing them installed in the bumpers, not the license plate.

Most, if not all of them, are installed much higher than the bumper. I have a Dodge Durango with one and it is installed above the license plate on the rear hatch. The bumpers have the proximity sensors but I have never seen a camera installed in the bumper.

 

[ActionableMango]

Most, if not all of them, are installed much higher than the bumper. I have a Dodge Durango with one and it is installed above the license plate on the rear hatch. The bumpers have the proximity sensors but I have never seen a camera installed in the bumper.

Oh okay thanks for the correction. I misinterpreted what those sensors are.

 

[gimikinc]

Seems extremely expensive as you can get a backup camera for $50 these days. Also most cars come with backup cameras as standard equipment integrated with the stereo system.

This is more work to run an app prior to backing up not to mention the $500 price tag. Guess a gopro to your iphone could do the same thing and not a single use device!

 

[rGiskard]

Your points make absolutely no sense...I don't think I can even address each of them. You need to research back up camera more and what it takes to install one.

I installed one on my car. Works great and never needed any updates.

Maybe you need to look into them, see what the world is like out side of Apple's reality bubble.

 

[Juicy Box]

The product seems pretty cool, but very late to the game. With that really high price point, I doubt this will be wide spread. There is not too many videos on how it works though.

a simple dongle that's plugged into a vehicle's diagnostic port.

According to the website, the OBDII dongle is used to activate the camera by using speed data.

So that means this device would be useless on older cars.

Also, when will it come on? Does the vehicle need to be moving for it to come on?

Does the user have to open the app to activate the video? If this is the case, I see it as a flop.
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I installed one on my car. Works great and never needed any updates.

Maybe you need to look into them, see what the world is like out side of Apple's reality bubble.

Thanks for posting, could you explain how the camera works? Do you have to open the app for each time you want to use it in reverse? or is it activated by speed?

If you could explain the process, I would appreciated it.

 

[OneMike]

i don't see this selling very well

 

[rjohnstone]

Thanks for posting, could you explain how the camera works? Do you have to open the app for each time you want to use it in reverse? or is it activated by speed?

If you could explain the process, I would appreciated it.

Most wireless backup camera systems are pretty simple to install. The camera is typically powered by the backup lights.
A lead is run from the rear backup light harness to power the camera. This also acts as the activation trigger to turn on the display. Put car in reverse, light comes on and powers up the camera.
The front monitor is usually in the form of a rear view mirror replacement. It draws power from either the cigarette light plug or you can hard wire them into the plug from behind the dash.
Someone who is competent with a screw driver and has the ability to follow instructions, should have no issues installing one.
Moat can be had for under $50 and come with 7" displays.

 

[MozMan68]

Most wireless backup camera systems are pretty simple to install. The camera is typically powered by the backup lights.
A lead is run from the rear backup light harness to power the camera. This also acts as the activation trigger to turn on the display. Put car in reverse, light comes on and powers up the camera.
The front monitor is usually in the form of a rear view mirror replacement. It draws power from either the cigarette light plug or you can hard wire them into the plug from behind the dash.
Someone who is competent with a screw driver and has the ability to follow instructions, should have no issues installing one.
Moat can be had for under $50 and come with 7" displays.

Hah...that's over simplifying things a little. How is that in any way "wireless"????

With this one, you are screwing on a license plate frame and downloading an app...you're giving people way to much credit.

 

[12vElectronics]

I think people are severly underestimating how many "old" cars there are on the road. The market for this is huge and will be for a while.

 

[Juicy Box]

Most wireless backup camera systems are pretty simple to install. The camera is typically powered by the backup lights.
A lead is run from the rear backup light harness to power the camera. This also acts as the activation trigger to turn on the display. Put car in reverse, light comes on and powers up the camera.
The front monitor is usually in the form of a rear view mirror replacement. It draws power from either the cigarette light plug or you can hard wire them into the plug from behind the dash.
Someone who is competent with a screw driver and has the ability to follow instructions, should have no issues installing one.
Moat can be had for under $50 and come with 7" displays.

Thanks, but this doesn't remotely answer my question. My question was for someone that is using the pearl system.

I wasn't asking how a typical back up camera works.

I wanted to know how the video on the app gets activated. According to the website, the OBDII dongle reads speed data for the video.

So does that mean the app comes on automatically? Or is it manually opened? Do you have to be moving for it to come on automatically?

I thought the speed data on OBDII was the same for forward and reverse. How does the dongle know you are reversing? Is it accelerometers that's gives the app the data that it is in reverse?


Anywho, there is no video I have found that clearly demonstrates how this app+ camera+OBDII dongle works.

Any input from people that have used this would be great.


And again, I am referring to the pearl system, not the typical easy set up with aftermarket head units, or mirror monitors systems.

 

[davidoloan]

Yes, but owners of older cars will not be spending so much money on this and there is always a delay in technological adoption by which many of the cars without a factory camera will be discarded. Plus, many people without a factory camera have already installed one of the cheaper alternative if they had the desire to do so. This product will not be very successful.

Great for classic / vintage cars on which people often happy to spend much more than on daily drivers. They should make them for euro / uk / world number plates shapes and sizes.

 

[FelixDerKater]

Is "theft-resistant" the equivalent of water resistant to 1 meter?

 

[Kajje]

My parents had a rear view camera on their early 2000's Viano MPV. It doesn't 'outdate'.
It's still compatible with todays roads, can capture modern 2016 cars and everything

 

[Phoenixx]

You can tell this product was developed by ex-Apple engineers purely by the price.

$500 - you've got to be kidding me.

 

[Juicy Box]

I think people are severly underestimating how many "old" cars there are on the road. The market for this is huge and will be for a while.

As someone with many "old" cars, I am curious about this product.

It seems interesting, but I am having trouble finding detailed information on how it works. I take this as it probably does not work that well, if it did, Pearl would have a step by step showing how it works instead of the cheesy videos they currently have on their website and YouTube.

Like, simple questions such as how the video gets activated on the phone is missing from their website. Is it a manual type thing, like unlocking your phone, going to the app, opening it? If so, it is DoA.

Also, at $500, I doubt this will sell well with so many other aftermarket solutions for a fraction of the price.

 

[MozMan68]

It's amazing how many of you simply don't get it or didn't bother reading the article...so...

Dual camera for true HD 180-degree view...I'm 100% positive a $50 back up system does not have that.

It is truly wireless...just screw in the license plate frame.

Yes...it does come with an OBDI dongle...so it only works with cars made since 1996...and it is also clear (at least to me) that this is how the frame "speaks" to the car. This is how it knows you are in reverse. This is how it will automatically speak to your phone and launch the app (they do mention that this feature is coming to Android)

It clearly states that it also gives you audible and visual alerts of people or objects entering your back up path...so F me, you are also getting a back up sensor system on top of just a view from a camera.

And you may not think being able to be updated is important, but there are features like back up guidelines and other features that can be added, utilized or not...it's up to you...and I'm sure "tunable" since it is an app, so you can make it work perfectly for your specific car.

No one needed a $500 thermostat or $100 smoke detector either, but Nest seems to be doing pretty well and now all of the other suppliers of those types of products have added similar options.

This is a great idea that adds much needed safety features to cars that didn't come with them initially. The warning system alone is worth not backing over a child or pet.

 

[Juicy Box]

It's amazing how many of you simply don't get it or didn't bother reading the article...so.

I did read the article, and the company's website. It is missing important information.

Yes...it does come with an OBDI dongle...so it only works with cars made since 1996...and it is also clear (at least to me) that this is how the frame "speaks" to the car. This is how it knows you are in reverse. This is how it will automatically speak to your phone and launch the app (they do mention that this feature is coming to Android)

I think you mean OBDII. What do you mean by "speaks"? Are you saying that one of the ports on OBDII tells the dongle, frame, and app that the car is in reverse? I did not think there was any data on the OBDII ports that tells the vehicle is in reverse.

I could be wrong, please correct me if I am.

I just want to know how it works, with examples, such as a video demonstrating how it works. Most companies do this with new products like this one.

I think this is a interesting product, but there is little information about it. With a $500 price tag, I don't think this would replace the much cheaper options.

 

[Mac 128]

It's amazing how many of you simply don't get it or didn't bother reading the article...so...

Dual camera for true HD 180-degree view...I'm 100% positive a $50 back up system does not have that.

It is truly wireless...just screw in the license plate frame.

Yes...it does come with an OBDI dongle...so it only works with cars made since 1996...and it is also clear (at least to me) that this is how the frame "speaks" to the car. This is how it knows you are in reverse. This is how it will automatically speak to your phone and launch the app (they do mention that this feature is coming to Android)

It clearly states that it also gives you audible and visual alerts of people or objects entering your back up path...so F me, you are also getting a back up sensor system on top of just a view from a camera.

And you may not think being able to be updated is important, but there are features like back up guidelines and other features that can be added, utilized or not...it's up to you...and I'm sure "tunable" since it is an app, so you can make it work perfectly for your specific car.

No one needed a $500 thermostat or $100 smoke detector either, but Nest seems to be doing pretty well and now all of the other suppliers of those types of products have added similar options.

This is a great idea that adds much needed safety features to cars that didn't come with them initially. The warning system alone is worth not backing over a child or pet.

I'm pretty sure you don't get it either.

A 180 degree viewing area is not worth another $450 over what's otherwise available. And backup sensors are a $10 add on: https://www.amazon.com/XD-066-Display-Reverse-Parking-Sensors/dp/B0055XCLK4

A $500 investment in an old vehicle is absurd when the people who could afford it are just as likely to be thinking about getting a new car soon that will make it obsolete.

It's not an investment in a house. It's a backup camera on a old car that is meant to be supplemental to the other devices in the car which have been used sucessfully for years, like rear view mirrors, and turning ones head to look over ones shoulder ... And of course paying attention.

 

[Juicy Box]

A $500 investment in an old vehicle is absurd when the people who could afford it are just as likely to be thinking about getting a new car soon that will make it obsolete.

I agree with most of your post, except this part. I agree that cars make horrible investments, but I disagree that $500 on an old car is absurd.

It depends on the car. I like old cars, and would invest money in them depending on the car.

New cars are boring to me. Older cars, such as my MR2 pictured in my avatar are fun, beautiful, and yes.. dangerous!

The new safe A-pillars in cars are freaking huge. They create a big blind spot that you have to move your head around to see around the pillars. This is just one of many reason I dislike newer cars.

But, you are right, a decent back up system in an older car is not a bad investment, but $500 is pretty high.

Just a thought.

 

[MozMan68]

I'm pretty sure you don't get it either.

A 180 degree viewing area is not worth another $450 over what's otherwise available. And backup sensors are a $10 add on: https://www.amazon.com/XD-066-Display-Reverse-Parking-Sensors/dp/B0055XCLK4

A $500 investment in an old vehicle is absurd when the people who could afford it are just as likely to be thinking about getting a new car soon that will make it obsolete.

It's not an investment in a house. It's a backup camera on a old car that is meant to be supplemental to the other devices in the car which have been used sucessfully for years, like rear view mirrors, and turning ones head to look over ones shoulder ... And of course paying attention.

Is that link supposed to be serious?

I see you didn't add in any installation cost for the items you are referring to. Drilling into a bumper to add parking sensors? Wiring it in? Some cheesy ass display mounted somewhere on the dash? That would take someone who actually knows what they're doing at least 1/2 a day to install...and it would still look like crap.

The same is true for the $50 camera systems you are referring to.

I'm betting most people will be satisfied paying the amount simply for the ease of install, added features and the fact that it doesn't F up their car.

 

[Mac 128]

I agree with most of your post, except this part. I agree that cars make horrible investments, but I disagree that $500 on an old car is absurd.

It depends on the car. I like old cars, and would invest money in them depending on the car.

New cars are boring to me. Older cars, such as my MR2 pictured in my avatar are fun, beautiful, and yes.. dangerous!

The new safe A-pillars in cars are freaking huge. They create a big blind spot that you have to move your head around to see around the pillars. This is just one of many reason I dislike newer cars.

But, you are right, a decent back up system in an older car is not a bad investment, but $500 is pretty high.

Just a thought.

Fair enough, I thought to carve out collectors, but didn't. I'd say that falls into a different category though, as collectors tend to spend lots of money on their vintage cars. Not sure that this customer base would be a viable model for a tech company. It would certainly be a low impact mod for a vintage car, which would appeal to many, and makes the price more justifiable. However, it wouldn't be original hardware either, which matters for some.

The new pillars are a good point, which is why these supplemental cameras are needed. But certainly they aren't meant to replace all other sensory assists.
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Is that link supposed to be serious?

I see you didn't add in any installation cost for the items you are referring to. Drilling into a bumper to add parking sensors? Wiring it in? Some cheesy ass display mounted somewhere on the dash? That would take someone who actually knows what they're doing at least 1/2 a day to install...and it would still look like crap.

The same is true for the $50 camera systems you are referring to.

I'm betting most people will be satisfied paying the amount simply for the ease of install, added features and the fact that it doesn't F up their car.

A professionally installed backup camera and sensors can be had for less than half the price of the license plate frame.

For the same $500 cost they can have a new head unit professionally installed with built-in navigation screen, BT (needed for the iPhone 7), hands free mic, satellite radio, USB and all the latest bells and whistles, along with the camera and sensors.

 

[MozMan68]

A professionally installed backup camera and sensors can be had for less than half the price of the license plate frame.

For the same $500 cost they can have a new head unit professionally installed with built-in navigation screen, BT (needed for the iPhone 7), hands free mic, satellite radio, USB and all the latest bells and whistles, along with the camera and sensors.

So...$500 for the install? How much for the head unit that does all of that? And link please.

I've installed all of this equipment myself...the head unit alone that is halfway decent and handles all of this is $1,000...a proper camera system that actually works with said head unit is usually limited and costs way more than $50...so a head unit that has all of that? Please share.

I guess I imagined people were not planning on replacing their entire system just to add back up camera/sensor functionality.


And oh...as I said above...this is designed for 1996 cars and newer...not for "classic" cars. OBDII required.

 

[Mac 128]

So...$500 for the install? How much for the head unit that does all of that? And link please.

I've installed all of this equipment myself...the head unit alone that is halfway decent and handles all of this is $1,000...a proper camera system that actually works with said head unit is usually limited and costs way more than $50...so a head unit that has all of that? Please share.

I guess I imagined people were not planning on replacing their entire system just to add back up camera/sensor functionality.


And oh...as I said above...this is designed for 1996 cars and newer...not for "classic" cars. OBDII required.

You're moving the goal posts. We got it. You own stock in this company, or are one of the participants.

When I installed my head unit, I priced buying it at local shop and complete install for HU, camera, and backup sensor was $450. I found the Jensen HU at Amazon for $200, $100 less than the install shop, the camera kit for $10, and skipped the sensors, and installed myself. You realize they pay the installers minimum wage, right? Even a full day's labor is only $64.

Most people aren't you. And with that, you have a good day.

 

[Pspressart]

You're moving the goal posts. We got it. You own stock in this company, or are one of the participants.

When I installed my head unit, I priced buying it at local shop and complete install for HU, camera, and backup sensor was $450. I found the Jensen HU at Amazon for $200, $100 less than the install shop, the camera kit for $10, and skipped the sensors, and installed myself. You realize they pay the installers minimum wage, right? Even a full day's labor is only $64.

Most people aren't you. And with that, you have a good day.

I am someone who pre-ordered the Rearvision product. I did not want to go through the hassle of getting the needed head unit for my 2011 BMW (non iDrive). There is no drilling or rewiring involved. Yes, it may be more expensive than some other systems, but it is worth it to me. Besides, if I ever acquire another car in the future that does not have a back up camera/proximity sensor, I can move this to that vehicle with no damage to the car I am removing it from.

 

[Juicy Box]

I am someone who pre-ordered the Rearvision product. I did not want to go through the hassle of getting the needed head unit for my 2011 BMW (non iDrive). There is no drilling or rewiring involved. Yes, it may be more expensive than some other systems, but it is worth it to me. Besides, if I ever acquire another car in the future that does not have a back up camera/proximity sensor, I can move this to that vehicle with no damage to the car I am removing it from.

Have you received your Rearvision yet? I am wondering what it is like to use it.