Apple HomeKit

[Elmar2001]

To integrate arlo into the Apple Home Kit would be a great improvement.

Now I have a great camera system with an app, a weather station with an app and some other sensors in the Apple home kit and they do not work together. 

E.g. an alarm could be triggered by the motion sensor of the camera or the camera could be switched on by a door or windows sensor even if the motion sensor is not activated because the object is too far away and so on. There are a lot of possibilities with connecting the systems. 

Is this planned to do?

[david8704]

D-link Will release camera with homekit now! I have there arlo cameras but will move to them if they seems good!

[ronnyromero]

 I have a 4-pack purchase on-hold waiting to know if this will be firmware upgraded or i need to buy a new one.  All this considering you are definitely going to include homekit.  The idea of having all smart alerts, camera, sensors, lights and stuff integrated.  Then improving AppleTV and knowing my son is waking up while im watching a movie....OMG, this is so awesome. Please work this out.

[boubou]

I have 3 cameras and would not buy them again and will not recommend them to anyone simply because Arlo/Netgear is NOT listening to us and making the home kit availability.

[ittroll]

I can't see it happening anytime soon. Apple requires that HomeKit devices have a dedicated, Apple-certified, encryption chip; which would require new hardware. Given that Netgear have released a "Pro" camera and base unit quite recently, I doubt there will be another update for a while.

It does beg the question though; why didn't Netgear take the oppurtunity to build this into the new base unit?

[Elmar2001]

I think it could be done with another base station (you are right that there is hardware needed) and the cameras could stay the same. Netgear has a secure product (as proven in many tests) and weatherproof cameras with batteries. Nobody else has theses features combined. So it is difficult to choose another system. Netgear, give you a start - we are willing to buy a new base station with apple home support because we love your product.

[ittroll]

The hardware requirements for HomeKIt have been available for 18+ months. Arlo Pro was released 3 months ago...

[ronnyromero]

it is true that arlo pro is new, but homekit is not the only home automation system, so as a business decision its not necessarily a requirement to have homekit to begin with; and that is proven with the adoption of arlo not having homekit on it (which is till selling a lot). The way i see it is not that Arlo made a mistake by not including homekit because they are still selling and selling good.  This is more of a requirement from the people that use Apple products to be able to simplify their life using homekit.  We are a lot of people, true, but we are not the only people.

Still, it would be nice to have homekit, and I think the most cost efficient way for this to make sense is to release a new base station for arlo pro that provides the homekit part, even trading sizes...a bit smaller improved version of arlo pro, same specs (dont remove anything) but improved for better image, night shot, wireless stability and processing speed, then a tad bigger or rearranged base station with homekit support, more processing speed, better local storage capabilities and maybe even LTE modem backup through usb.  But that is just my opinion.

[ittroll]

Interesting Reuters article detailing the requirements Apple imposes on HomeKit products.

1. Apple encryption chip
2. Specific WiFi chip
3. Made in Apple certified factories

http://reut.rs/2kAP7Y8

[ronnyromero]

Excellent information.

Now here's a question, and I know it's not down to this, but if it would: would you pay $50 more for an Arlo Pro base station that is Homekit certified? I know I would? and at this point, it could even cost the same considering everything is cheaper today than it was when launched (if the specs are not improved and just changed to comply homekit).