D-Link has today announced the availability of the first HomeKit compatible home security camera, with the device available from the online Apple Store now, and delivery expected to take place next week.
The camera, dubbed the Omna 180 Cam HD, is the first camera to be made available for purchase featuring Apple HomeKit functionality. It was originally announced during this year’s CES event. With the camera now ready for sale, D-Link has successfully beaten other manufacturers, which also have HomeKit cameras coming, to the punch.
By integrating with Apple’s HomeKit framework, the camera can send rich notifications to an iPhone or iPad whenever it detects movement. Those notifications can include a snippet of what the camera was seeing at the time the notification was sent, with a live video feed available via the Home app on iOS 10. Being HomeKit compatible, it can of course also be controlled using Siri on iOS, watchOS and tvOS devices.
Hardware wise, the D-Link Omna 180 Cam HD features a wide angle 1080p camera with night vision capabilities thanks to infra-red technology, which makes it possible to record at distances up to 5m. There’s a two-way speaker and microphone combination as well, with the whole thing housed in a cylindrical body that does not look too dissimilar to Amazon’s Echo. The big difference is obviously the camera sat atop the device, with its full 180-degree recording capabilities right at the top of the feature list.
Integration with HomeKit also allows for actions to be triggered based on what the camera senses. For example, if the D-Link unit notices movement, it can trigger Philips’ Hue Lights to come on. This makeshift security lighting is just one example of the kinds of automation HomeKit promises to bring to iOS and more importantly, the digital home.
With more home automation devices, including security systems, starting to take advantage of HomeKit, the possibilities will continue to grow as to what our technology will do to ensure our homes are working for us, and not against us.
The D-Link Omna 180 Cam HD can be ordered from Apple today for $199.
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