HomeKit Secure Video, in my opinion, is one of the first examples of what makes Apple great and terrible at the same time. HomeKit Secure Video is the safest way to record images inside and outside your home, but it can also be one of Apple's most frustrating technologies at the same time. This week, I want to discuss how Apple can continue to expand the HomeKit Secure Video to solve its problems, while making it a better service. Let's dive into what Apple can include in HomeKit Secure Video 2.0.
Weekly HomeKit is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks and everything to do with the Apple smart home frame.
2K camera support in HomeKit Secure Video 2.0
One of the biggest weaknesses of HomeKit Secure Video right now is the lack of 2K support. Even for HomeKit cameras that support 2K, HKSV recordings are locked at 1080p. As camera technology continues to improve, Apple will have to meet the demands of the cameras on the market. Obviously, this is a storage issue for Apple, but at some point, 1080p will not be enough.
Continuous recording
Camera solutions like Nest offer 24/7 recording, and I think Apple should offer this for cameras that record on HomeKit Secure Video. Obviously, for cameras like eufycam that are battery powered, continuous recording is not an option, but for cameras like Logi Circle View that are powered by a normal power supply, continuous recording should be an option. Even if HomeKit does the filtering at the end, I would love to see 24/7 recording as an option. Apple might even eliminate motionless events after seven days, but there are times when I'd like to see a certain time that HomeKit didn't record.
Extended room limits
Apple should allow more than the current five-camera limits for HomeKit Secure Video, allowing you to either pay an additional monthly fee to move to 10 cameras, or include it as an additional benefit of the Apple One Premier. Currently, there is no way to record using more than five cameras, so you end up either using the stream on only a few of them, or finding alternative recording solutions. My current solution is to register locally at the eufy base station for eufy outdoor cameras, where all my indoor and Logitech Circle View cameras use HomeKit Secure Video. This setup gives me five cameras in HKSV and four cameras recording on an SD card in the eufy base station.
End on HomeKit Secure Video 2.0
What are you looking for with the following Apple updates for HomeKit Secure Video? These are three areas of HKSV that I think Apple should address to make HomeKit a great place to store home camera footage in a place where only you you have access to make it a great alternative to Nest and Ring.
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