GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple's Home app now offers AI-generated descriptive summaries and natural language search for security camera footage. These features require a paid HomeKit Secure Video subscription, with top-tier plans reaching up to $60 per month.
With iOS 27 and tvOS 27, Apple has added Apple Intelligence features to HomeKit Secure Video, including AI-generated text summaries of camera footage, video search, and the ability to merge clips from multiple cameras. These features require pricier iCloud Plus plans, starting at $9.99 a month for one camera and rising to $59.99 a month for coverage of up to five cameras.
Shelly has released the Flood S Gen4, a Matter-certified water leak sensor priced under $30 that works natively with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings, and Home Assistant. The device uses three large stainless steel contact pads instead of small metal pins, allowing it to detect water faster and even sense low-conductivity liquids like AC condensate.
A veteran smart-home reviewer argues that Apple's next major hardware push should be a dedicated home computer that processes data locally rather than another cloud-connected screen. She notes that new CEO John Ternus described the iPhone using language—an 'intelligent personal hub' focused on local processing and privacy—that better fits a smart home hub than a phone. The piece also points to Anker's Eufy MindBase, shown at IFA Berlin, as an early example of this 'super hub' category supporting Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Thread, Zigbee and Matter.
Apple's fall event centered on the new foldable iPhone Duo and expanded Siri AI features but included no mention of a long-rumored standalone smart home display. Insiders had suggested Apple would finally launch an Echo Show-style device with facial recognition and flexible mounting options, but the Apple Home app received no stage time at all. Instead, the $1,999 iPhone Duo can be propped up to mimic some display functions, though it lacks the size, speakers, and dedicated purpose of true smart displays.
ULTRALOQ has released the Bolt Fingerprint smart lock, which the company describes as its first model fully integrated with Apple Home. The device supports fingerprint unlock for up to 50 fingers, 50 passcodes, auto-unlock, physical keys, and voice control via Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant, and connects directly over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi without needing a separate hub bridge.
A new beta of iOS 27 quietly adds an 'Apple Intelligence Report' toggle inside the Home app for Apple TV and HomePod devices, according to a post from Apple Home Authority on X. The option only appears when the TV or speaker is running the paired tvOS 27 or HomePod 27 beta, suggesting Apple is laying groundwork for AI features on these products rather than just iPhones. Apple notably left tvOS and HomePod out of its WWDC messaging about a unified Siri experience, fueling speculation about unreleased hardware.
CNET published a guide recommending smart devices to upgrade home desks and offices, starting with a smart surge protector like Tapo's model that lets users label, remotely control, and track energy use of connected devices. The guide also highlights smart speakers, such as Google's newest model, for hands-free reminders, timers, and voice commands while working.