Homesecurity camerashave come a long way since the emergence of models, like the Nest. Even Google has made upgrades to the camera that has become a household name, and other manufacturers have followed suit. Now, Abode has partnered with Morse Micro and Xailient to push the boundaries of what a home security camera can do — and it may just give Big Tech competitors a run for their money.
AsCES 2024ramps up, Abode has announced that it’s launching its new Edge Camera after teaming up with Morse Micro and Xailient. Morse Micro, in particular, founded the Wi-Fi HaLow system-on-chip that is featured in the camera — this technology builds on traditional Wi-Fi with its IEEE 802.11ah spec, allowing for high-performing Wi-Fi by surpassing nearby obstacles. If you live in a house with several smart home devices connected via Wi-Fi, for instance, Wi-Fi HaLow technology will help the Abode Edge Camera cut through the noise.
But the headline-grabbing use for Wi-Fi HaLow is definitely its range — the Abode Edge Camera has a transmission range of more than 1.5 miles. This is made possible by a frequency band in the sub-GHz range, which helps the signal travel further and penetrate obstacles better than 2.4 and 5GHz systems. In total, Abode claims the product provides 100 times the coverage area compared to security cameras using traditional Wi-Fi.
Xailient teamed up with Abode to provide its AI technology — with its computer vision capabilities, the new model can detect objects, faces, and even anomalies that may be of concern from a security standpoint. Abode also claims that the Edge Camera can last up to one year on a full charge, thanks to its 6,000mAh lithium-ion battery. The company intends to launch the home security camera in Q1 2024, and it will start at $200 when it hits the market.
While the Abode Edge Camera certainly has some noteworthy features, it will have to contend with several competitors in an already crowded home security camera market. That being said, Abode isn’t alone — other companies haven’t been deterred from jumping in for a piece of the pie. Philips Hue, for instance, launched its own new line of home security cameras back in 2023. ThePhilips Hue Secure cameradebuted in several different variations, and it was developed for both indoor and outdoor use. Its 1080p video quality rivaled competitors, and the company also made sure to include night vision.
Companies that have already made a name for themselves are also improving upon existing products, raising the stakes. For example, Google integrated an AI-poweredgarage door detection featureinto its series of Nest cameras. Although it was limited to those who have a Nest Aware subscription, the feature didn’t require any extra hardware to be leveraged.
AI, high-powered Wi-Fi, and similar technology are likely to become the norm in even the simplest of products. For this reason, there’s more to consider than ever before when it comes to home security cameras. Whether Abode’s new product piques your interest or you want to keep looking, these are just some of the features you can expect to see while comparing your options.
