ADT’s DIY smart home cameras won’t require a hub or long-term contract
The cameras are available for pre-order and will begin shipping later this month.
Home security company ADT is creating a new smart home security brand called Blue by ADT. Today, the company is unveiling the brand's first three products: smart indoor, outdoor and doorbell cameras. Each of the new DIY devices can be used on its own or configured with others as you wish, and you won't need a smart home hub to operate them.
Blue by ADT is based on work by smart home company LifeShield, which ADT acquired in 2019. Like those introduced today, future devices will be DIY, so you can setup a smart home unique to your needs, and customers can choose from self-monitoring, a month-to-month subscription service of continuous monitoring.
The Blue by ADT Indoor Camera films 1080-pixel HD, and you can view the live and recorded footage through the free Blue by ADT mobile app. The camera will soon gain Alexa voice controls, and it will detect smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to let you know if there's an issue. In the future, it will pair with Blue by ADT sensors and keypad, meaning you'll be able to use it as a security hub if you choose.
The Blue by ADT Outdoor Camera is similar but rated at IP-65, making it weather resistant. It also has night vision capabilities. In addition, you can opt for the Blue by ADT Doorbell Camera, which lets you talk with visitors, as well as monitor the video feed. The doorbell sends push notifications and a voice announcement from an Alexa-enabled device when someone is at the door.
All of the cameras include a facial recognition feature that alerts you when a familiar face appears. You'll get up to 24 hours of free video storage, or you can purchase additional cloud storage plans. The cameras, which cost $199 each, are available for pre-order now, and ADT says they'll ship by the end of the month.
Update 1/6/2020 10:20AM ET: This story was corrected to reflect that the Blue by ADT cameras are now available for pre-order and will ship by the end of January 2020.
