Alexa Guard makes your Echo a home security device
It'll listen for breaking glass as well as smoke and CO2 alarms when you're not home.
Amazon got into the home security game this year, first by buying Ring and then through the launch of full home security packages. As part of its massive Alexa event today, the company is announcing a new security feature that anyone with an Alexa device can take advantage of. It's called "guard mode," and it can be activated whenever you tell Alexa that you've left your house. It's made up of a few smart alerts, specifically when your Echo (or other Alexa speaker) hears the sound of breaking glass or detects an alarm from a smoke or CO2 detector. In any of those cases, it'll record a clip of the sound and send it to your phone so you are aware of the alert.
Additionally, it'll work with selected professional security companies (starting with Ring and ADT) -- users can choose to have these alerts pushed out to those security companies, who can then alert first responders when needed. And if you have smart lights hooked up to your Alexa system, it can randomize lights going on and off to simulate someone being home.
There's no word yet on when this software update will roll out, but given how often Amazon updates Alexa, we figure it won't be too long.
Follow all the latest news from Amazon's Alexa event here!
