Netgear's 'Arlo Baby' Smart Cameras Now Offer HomeKit Support

[MacRumors]

Starting today, all of Netgear's existing Arlo Baby smart monitoring cameras are compatible with Apple HomeKit following the release of a HomeKit update for the Arlo app.

To connect the Arlo Baby camera to a HomeKit setup, Arlo Baby owners will need to download the update and then toggle on the HomeKit option in the Settings section of the Arlo app.

With HomeKit compatibility, Arlo Baby cameras can be viewed in the Home app on iOS devices right alongside other HomeKit-compatible cameras.

Using the Home app, parents can also view a live stream, access two-way audio controls, view the most recent screenshot recorded by the Arlo Baby, open up the camera live stream via Siri, and access live video remotely with an iPad, Apple TV, or HomePod as a home hub.

Netgear first announced HomeKit compatibility for Arlo Baby at CES in 2018, launching a new line of HomeKit-compatible Arlo Baby cameras. At the time, Netgear also promised to bring HomeKit to existing cameras, a promise that was fulfilled with today's update.

The Arlo Baby cameras will also continue to work with the Arlo app, which can be used for specific features like accessing footage stored in the cloud, tweaking settings, controlling the light, and more.

If you're unfamiliar with the Arlo Baby line, it's a camera that's designed to be used in an infant's room. It offers 1080p video recording and seven days of free cloud storage, along with infrared recording at night, ambient air quality sensors, a music player, and a built-in dimmable night light that can be set to one of several colors.

Netgear sells several Arlo Baby accessories to personalize the camera to fit into a child's room, such as bunny, kitten, and puppy suits. Arlo Baby can be purchased from Amazon.com for $200.

Article Link: Netgear's 'Arlo Baby' Smart Cameras Now Offer HomeKit Support

 

[SteveJobs2.0]

Where is support for their other existing cameras?

 

[EdT]

It’s been close to a year, but I wanted to install a camera to monitor pets in my house and went specifically looking for HomeKit compatible cameras. Didn’t find many at all, and some that claimed compatibility required a bridge component to work with HomeKit. The cameras with the best reviews online were not HomeKit capable or were a lot more expensive, usually because they did require another component.

 

[NSeven]

Wonder what angle the camera was mounted to get the baby pic? would be pretty disappointing if it was just a Photoshop job and not an actual pic of the tech working

 

[AngerDanger]

Wonder what angle the camera was mounted to get the baby pic? would be pretty disappointing if it was just a Photoshop job and not an actual pic of the tech working

Haha, that was my first thought as well. Although browsing product photos reveals that it can be mounted high up on a wall and aimed down, the image shown in the notification also appeared in a 2016 article on preventing infant obesity.

 

[ZZ9pluralZalpha]

It’s been close to a year, but I wanted to install a camera to monitor pets in my house and went specifically looking for HomeKit compatible cameras. Didn’t find many at all, and some that claimed compatibility required a bridge component to work with HomeKit. The cameras with the best reviews online were not HomeKit capable or were a lot more expensive, usually because they did require another component.

How about the Netatmo Welcome? Has pet-specific detection, and Netatmo's Presence outdoor camera went live on HomeKit last month so they're at least capable of delivering on their "support coming soon" promises. (I bought a Presence to watch for a neighborhood cat, and rather like it.)

 

[macduke]

As some one who loves tech and has fathered a couple babies in the last few years, let me tell you that there is no reason for this. When we were shopping for baby things my wife told me we don’t need a camera. She had a lot more experience with babies than I did having grown up in a big family so I went along with it. And she was right. There is no point that I can think of in hindsight. And if you want this so you can leave the house then I don’t even know what to say to you.

You see, if your kid is crying and they’re a newborn, you usually just have them in a small bassinet next to your bed which is the safest way to prevent SIDS. When they move to their crib you go get them immediately for the first few months, then you might start waiting 5-10 minutes to let them cry a little until they fall back to sleep. If they keep going for a while you go get them. At no point do you need to look at your kids. You also get a feel for their different cries and know if it’s serious and you need to go get them because they’re about to melt down. Just buy a halfway decent V-Tech or whatever audio one for $35-$50 and call it a day. You can get replacement rechargeable batteries on Amazon for pretty cheap for your next kid if you need to.

 

[EdT]

How about the Netatmo Welcome? Has pet-specific detection, and Netatmo's Presence outdoor camera went live on HomeKit last month so they're at least capable of delivering on their "support coming soon" promises. (I bought a Presence to watch for a neighborhood cat, and rather like it.)

I'll look. I didn't buy any camera last time and the reason I was looking was I had a sick elderly dog, who has since died. I now have a new 1 year old rescue dog that I think is 1/2 Great White Shark and 1/2 Velociraptor.

 

[tarsins]

Is it just me or does anyone else find those things scary? I don't think I'd be able to sleep with one of those faceless horrors looking at me.

 

[willzyx]

As some one who loves tech and has fathered a couple babies in the last few years, let me tell you that there is no reason for this. When we were shopping for baby things my wife told me we don’t need a camera. She had a lot more experience with babies than I did having grown up in a big family so I went along with it. And she was right. There is no point that I can think of in hindsight. And if you want this so you can leave the house then I don’t even know what to say to you.

You see, if your kid is crying and they’re a newborn, you usually just have them in a small bassinet next to your bed which is the safest way to prevent SIDS. When they move to their crib you go get them immediately for the first few months, then you might start waiting 5-10 minutes to let them cry a little until they fall back to sleep. If they keep going for a while you go get them. At no point do you need to look at your kids. You also get a feel for their different cries and know if it’s serious and you need to go get them because they’re about to melt down. Just buy a halfway decent V-Tech or whatever audio one for $35-$50 and call it a day. You can get replacement rechargeable batteries on Amazon for pretty cheap for your next kid if you need to.

I agree with most ofoyour points except the last one. Sometimes you do need to watch them to make sure they didn't climb out of the crib. But these cameras need a dedicated monitor.

 

[Mack813]

It’s been close to a year, but I wanted to install a camera to monitor pets in my house and went specifically looking for HomeKit compatible cameras. Didn’t find many at all, and some that claimed compatibility required a bridge component to work with HomeKit. The cameras with the best reviews online were not HomeKit capable or were a lot more expensive, usually because they did require another component.

Im in the same boat looking for a good homekit camera without a hub is very hard to find.

 

[catalystPT]

At the time, Netgear also promised to bring HomeKit to existing cameras, a promise that was fulfilled with today's update.
Article Link: Netgear's 'Arlo Baby' Smart Cameras Now Offer HomeKit Support

Just to clarify, does this refer to existing -Baby- Cameras or all existing cameras?

 

[macduke]

I agree with most ofoyour points except the last one. Sometimes you do need to watch them to make sure they didn't climb out of the crib. But these cameras need a dedicated monitor.

I'll concede that's one point that I didn't think of. None of mine have been climbers. Although my youngest is much more of a climber outside of the crib. But our crib also has a decent amount of depth. Once they get old enough to start standing in the crib we always adjust it to the lowest position. Probably a mix of luck and the crib we have.

 

[travoose]

While not HomeKit enabled...I've read good things about the Nanit camera for babies.

 

[Donoban]

Im in the same boat looking for a good homekit camera without a hub is very hard to find.

Logitech circle 2

 

[emiliosic]

Where is support for their other existing cameras?

Have Arlo Pro and Arlo Pro 2 and they do not (yet?) support HomeKit.
Updated the app, found the HomeKit setting, granted access, but no Arlo Pro 2 yet.
Keep in mind that while the Arlo Baby is intended to be plugged in, the Arlo Pro and Arlo Pro 2 work with batteries, and plugging in is optional.
That said, the Arlo cameras work with IFTTT and Amazon Alexa: For example, you can ask a FireTV or an Echo with Screen 'show me front door camera' (as an example) and it works with any Arlo cameras. The Alexa skill is a cloud service (meaning it doesn't require an app on a phone), so maybe support is coming.
On the other hand, the Arlo service is pretty closed: The cameras only talk to a base station, and the base station is forwards the stream to the cloud. I like this for security. The base station has locally open ports and can only be accessed through their (free) cloud service.
They likely started bith Baby because it's always plugged in, but don't waste your time asking NetGears for updates

 

[SteveJobs2.0]

Have Arlo Pro and Arlo Pro 2 and they do not (yet?) support HomeKit.
Updated the app, found the HomeKit setting, granted access, but no Arlo Pro 2 yet.
Keep in mind that while the Arlo Baby is intended to be plugged in, the Arlo Pro and Arlo Pro 2 work with batteries, and plugging in is optional.
That said, the Arlo cameras work with IFTTT and Amazon Alexa: For example, you can ask a FireTV or an Echo with Screen 'show me front door camera' (as an example) and it works with any Arlo cameras. The Alexa skill is a cloud service (meaning it doesn't require an app on a phone), so maybe support is coming.
On the other hand, the Arlo service is pretty closed: The cameras only talk to a base station, and the base station is forwards the stream to the cloud. I like this for security. The base station has locally open ports and can only be accessed through their (free) cloud service.
They likely started bith Baby because it's always plugged in, but don't waste your time asking NetGears for updates

Agreed, but I have two Arlo Pros and an Arlo Q and it also doesn’t have HomeKit support despite being plugged. In addition, Arlo Pro 2 support being plugged in non-stop, tus they should also get HomeKit even if it is restricted to non-battery use.

 

[CrzyP]

I agree with most ofoyour points except the last one. Sometimes you do need to watch them to make sure they didn't climb out of the crib. But these cameras need a dedicated monitor.

They're releasing a video touchscreen monitor this spring.