It’s not free. It’s “at no additional cost”. It requires paying $3/month for 1 camera, or $10/month for up to 5 cameras.
Correct. I already have a 200GB/month iCloud plan. So I get a camera for free. And it does not count against one’s storage.
from this article.
"For one Secure Video camera, a 200GB iCloud storage plan is required, while you need the 2TB plan for up to 5 cameras. In the United States, 200GB of storage is priced at $2.99 per month, while 2TB of storage is priced at $9.99 per month.
Many camera companies that offer cloud storage do charge monthly fees for data access, so Apple’s decision to require a $2.99 to $9.99 per month fee isn’t a major surprise, and a lot more utility is provided with an Apple iCloud storage plan than one from Logitech or Eufy."
At first, I was excited. Then I read this from the HomeKit Secure Video announcement:
"With HomeKit Secure Video, the video captured by your camera is analyzed locally on your resident iPad, HomePod or AppleTV. Then, it’s encrypted and sent to iCloud where no one (not even Apple) can see it.
You’ll be alerted if your camera sees activity and 10 days of video storage are included without counting against your storage. The first cameras to include this feature will be Netatmo, Logitech and Eufy."
You only get 10 days of storage! Not the long term solution I was looking for!
But what I found really interesting, was when I read the reviews of the first three cameras brands to include the feature, I was less than impressed …
I’m not going to be an early adopter of Homekit Secure Video. And since the first three camera brands to “include” the feature are 15 times more expensive than WYZE, I’m not sure WYZE can provide the service at the current price point.
But, for those of you who are saying you won’t continue to buy or use WYZE without it, it sounds like there are other brands for you to look into so that you can use HomeKit Secure Video.
I’m of the mindset that, yes, I want HomeKit integration, but it hasn’t stopped me from implementing the Wyze solution at my home as is. It’s good stuff and it’s working. It will just be more capable if integrated.
[Email signature removed by mods.]
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Any update on progress towards supporting HomeKit?
Apple improved the development environment for manufacturers last year:
“Manufacturers will be particularly excited for a brand new MFi partner dev kit. This new dev kit handles a lot of the work for developers, which can drastically reduce the development time for accessories. Prototypes could be functional within a week, and the full release cycle could be as quick as three months rather than upwards of a year. This means new accessories will be hitting the market faster than ever, which has traditionally been a pain point for the HomeKit ecosystem.”
A couple weeks ago, Apple announced iOS 13 – with new features for cameras:
"HomeKit cameras have fresh new features too. They aren’t necessarily new accessories, but the change is pretty substantial. Now, video recordings can be stored inside of iCloud instead of on third-party servers. HomeKit will encrypt the video files locally before then uploading them to Apple’s servers. This is all included with most iCloud storage plans which means no extra expense can be incurred if you have either the 200GB or 2TB plan.
If you have the 200GB plan Apple gives you ten days of recordings for a single camera but ups the number to five cameras if you have the 2TB plan. Best of all, it doesn’t count towards your iCloud storage capacity.
Cameras got a UI change at the same time, bringing quick access to the other cameras and accessories located in the same room."
Logitech and D-Link already have cameras that support HomeKit. Wyze – with its culture of innovation – should be right there with them (if not leading the pack)!
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Update time on HomeKit:
We are still investigating the work required to provide HomeKit compatibility for Wyze Bulb and Wyze Sense products. Unfortunately, we have completed the analysis for cameras and determined that we will not be able to bring HomeKit to the current generation of our products (Cam v1 & v2 and Pan).
We recognize the privacy and security that HomeKit Secure Video provides to Apple customers and are excited about potential integration with our future products using local processing. We will investigate how to bring HomeKit to future versions of those devices and share more details when available.
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This is exciting…and, good news!
Thanks for the update. Wyze position on HomeKit at this point is understandable.
I had a feeling that HomeKit would require a major and expensive “redo” of current Wyze products … something that would surely drive up product costs.
At WWDC 2019, Apple said it is launching the Homekit camera service first with Netatmo, Logitech, and Eufy systems … systems not everyone can afford or want to spend.
Y’all have made a name for yourselves as a WIFI camera industry disruptor with your current cameras, sensors and motion detectors at a price point that is unbelievable!
Keep up the good work! You have nothing to apologize for or reason to feel like you are letting us down.
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Well yes and no…
An iCloud storage plan is free. As soon as you sign up for iCloud, you automatically get 5GB of free storage. Period.
However, you’ll need the 200GB plan (not the 5GB plan) to use Apples HomeKit Secure Video package. This may change as we get closer to launch date. The 200GB option currently is 2.99 a month, but you get a LOT for that 2.99! First off, not to mention the 200GB of storage you get, but you also get MUCH better camera security. Currently it will be the best camera security on the planet. Why? Because all other camera security works by first sending your cameras images to company X’s servers before anything is stored or processed.
The way that Apple will do it is much different. With Apples HomeKit Secure Video package all of your images get processed right on your local (iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc) device, and then it is encrypted both to the iCloud, and then back again to your device again.
Imagine Wyze being able to offer world class camera security like this.
This is why Wyze adding HomeKit integration is so important!
I know many in this thread and around the world would buy extra Wyze cameras once HomeKit was added, now that HomeKit Secure Video is part of HomeKits features. Apple will allow up to 1 1/2 weeks worth of video recordings uploaded and stored to your free iCloud account at no cost, plus it will not take away from your regular storage space. People can sign up for iCloud directly from their Apple iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV and Macs. If you use windows then you simply need to create a free Apple ID and then click below;
Clicking below is also free 
As I understand it the products themselves simply need a firmware update. Adding HomeKIt to a companies product takes a lot of time. It has to be tested in Xcode and meet HomeKit Accessory Protocol, and also be certified for Apples MFi program. In the old days a HomeKit chip was needed which the manufacture had to buy. That’s not the case anymore.
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On your last point, a previous thread said the incompatibility was that the secondary feed was not high definition enough to pass homekit standards. The hardware, as I understand, can’t handle a higher res secondary output.
“ Apple will allow up to 1 1/2 weeks worth of video recordings uploaded and stored to your free iCloud account”. This is incorrect. Apple will not provide this service with the free iCloud account. It requires the 200GB plan, which costs $3/month. That will provide the service for one camera. Most Wyze customers have more than one camera. That requires an iCloud storage plan that costs $10/month. So, how is it free?
“As I understand it the products themselves simply need a firmware update”. This is also incorrect. The hardware in the current Wyze cams does not meet Apple’s requirements for HomeKit support. Wyze has said this. Wyze may release a new camera in the future with HomeKit compatibility.
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That might have been an older standard. I am not aware of any such resolution requirement for Apple MFi licensee. You can read the full specifications here;
As I stated above… “you’ll need the 200GB plan ( not the 5GB plan ) to use Apples HomeKit Secure Video package. This may change as we get closer to launch date. The 200GB option currently is 2.99 a month”. Thank you.
How so? Please be specific.
Wyze may not be a Apple MFI licensee, but that has nothing to do with hardware.
What spec (specifically) in the HomeKit Protocol do the Wyze cameras not meet?
It is well known that you can build your own Raspberry Pi camera that meets all the HomeKit protocols very cheaply.
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The service requires the $3/month plan. That won’t change.
Wyze has said they will not be able to bring HomeKit to the current generation of their cameras.
I mean, it’s all right there.
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This will not support the new features coming to iOS 13. Also, that guide is not for iOS 13.
The new secure HomeKit video feature revolves around iOS 13.
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It appears that you’re now back-pedaling. You originally said, and I quote; “The hardware in the current Wyze cams does not meet Apple’s requirements for HomeKit support.”
You were then asked which Wyze hardware, specifically, did not meet the HomeKit spec. Now you’re completely ignoring that question and simply reposting what Wyze actually said
The fact that Wyze has chosen to wait until their next generation of product could mean anything. It takes time for a manufacture to become a Apple MFi licensee. I am happy that Wyze is not going to rush this process.
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What you, me, and everyone is excited about, are the new features coming to HomeKit. Specifically, HomeKit Secure Video. That is what you were referring to when you said I was wrong about it having a monthly cost associated with it. It will. That won’t change between now and it’s launch. Also, you said that Wyze cams could support this with a firmware upgrade. Wyze has said that is not enough. That means it requires new hardware. Process of elimination.
Even if Wyze releases a new camera that supports HomeKit Secure Video, I think a lot of people will be disappointed (with Apple) when they realize it will cost $10/month for more than one camera. Let’s face it, part of the beauty of Wyze is its affordability. Most people have more than one Wyze cam.
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Excited about this. I’m already paying for 2TB storage. I have 4 wyze cams and would love to replace them all. Need some way of recycling these cameras (maybe trade in for free shipping?).
Except if u pay for the higher level storage options on iCloud, then u can have like 5 cams, which is plenty for ‘most’ people.
Yes, if you already have this service. Most people don’t. That’s the 2TB plan.
Most people don’t have that. At best, most have the 50GB plan, at $1/month. Which does nothing, as far as this concerns.
Still, there is a monthly cost associated with the service. No matter how you slice it. It isn’t free.
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