Nest's connected products range from thermostats and smoke detectors to security cameras; an array of connected equipment designed to bring tech into the home. However, since acquiring DropCam in June 2014 and releasing the first Nest Cam in 2015, the company has made few updates to its systems.
With its new Nest Cam IQ Indoor Security camera, Nest is hoping to breathe new life into the range.
In terms of design, the basic shape is similar to that of past Dropcam models. The Nest Cam IQ is made of white polycarbonate with a swivel mount that can stand on a surface or be fixed to a wall. Inside the IQ camera are 4K image sensors with 8MP resolution, 12x digital zoom and high dynamic range (HDR).
The camera's audio has been improved, now with HD Talk + Listen features, and the Nest Cam IQ's speakers are said to be seven times more powerful than the original Nest Cam and there is a new three-microphone array. The camera comes with in-built noise suppression and echo cancellation.
As with previous Nest systems, the IQ has two 940nm infrared LED's and night vision capabilities, without the need for an obligatory red light when this feature is in use. From the Nest app, you can view a live feed in high-definition picture-in-picture view, including a 130-degree view of the room.
For improved security, video encryption comes as standard. Once recorded, video is encrypted on the device itself before streaming and being stored through a TLS/SSL secure connection to a cloud-based DVR server. For up-to-date security patches, the IQ updates itself over a wireless connection.
The self-proclaimed highlight of the Nest IQ, however, is its algorithm-based recognition capabilities. It differentiates between the body of a human and that of a dog, for example, and sends an alert to your phone. When a person has been detected, an alert is sent directly to the home owner's phone accompanied by an automatically produced image. You can then zoom into recorded video clips.
Defending its relatively low number of updates, Lionel Guicherd-Callin, head of product marketing, told WIRED: "We have launched completely redesigned indoor and outdoor hardware, dozens of new product features, a completely redesigned app experience, and meaningful improvements to our Nest Aware service.
"In addition, Nest Cam IQ offers intelligent alerts that few competitors offer, including person alerts, Familiar Face Alerts, person talking, and dog barking, that deliver on the true promise of a security camera."
That reference to Familiar Faces is what we consider the defining feature of the Nest IQ — the ability to identify a stranger from a family member. Sadly it doesn't come as standard and you'll need to buy a Nest Aware subscription to benefit.
For £8 per month, or an extended package of £24 per month, Nest Aware offers an extra layer of intelligent alerts. These include the Familiar Faces feature plus Intelligent Audio. The Familiar Faces mode uses learning algorithms to identify, categorise and teach Nest Cam IQ to differentiate between family members and strangers. Intelligent Audio alerts notify you about things the camera can’t see, including a person talking or dog barking, but can't move beyond that to identifying a range of different voices or other animals.
Nest Aware customers also get access to existing features, such as Sightline, which allows you to browse through a line of video history over the past 10 to 30 days. Sightline is also available to non-Nest Aware customers but only with static images.
Nest Cam IQ costs £299 and has an expected delivery date of the end of June.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
