I saw the email this morning and watched the video, but it was really scant on information. I may be a bit skeptical, but I am smelling an up-sell here…
Really hope this is not being used as a way to segment off features that should be in Cam Plus and charge more for a “pro” service.
We’ll learn more during the Live YouTube event today. For now, the video said it is the following:
Basically it sounds like they are allowing people to have a full Home Security system (complete with automatically calling law enforcement, and siren going off when things aren’t disarmed properly, etc), all without buying a hub and motion/contact sensors like every other company makes you do. Most Home Security hardware is really expensive and then the monthly subscriptions are usually ridiculous costly to the point most people can’t afford them, but Wyze appears to be creating a new innovative option where you get all the basic functionality of a home security system with no extra hardware besides a camera and subscription that covers the cost of the subscription for the professional monitoring partner along with regular cam plus features.
Again, that’s all what I am guessing and deducing from the limited info in the video, and we’ll know more after the official live event where they’ll explain it in more detail.
That’s a bit of an optimistic take, but we shall see soon enough. Even if it is initially like that at launch, as they look to differentiate the two services you will probably see more and more features that should be in the normal Cam Plus being segmented off into the “Pro” lineup. Companies tend to be very motivated by seeking higher profit margins and reoccurring revenue.
Yeah, we’ll see soon. I’m guessing it’s just confusing communication. They should’ve used a different name besides the “Cam Plus” phrase to make it clear it was mostly an alternative to the HMS security system, rather than a Cam Plus Premium option. I think that may confuse a lot of people or cause some misunderstanding. I am not sure what would be a better phrase though (maybe something like “HMS -Cams Only”). Hopefully we can get good clarification. I would stay on and ask questions but I was up all night working to meet some deadlines, so I hope someone else asks enough questions to get it really clear on all the details.
EDIT:
Wyze Jimmy on Discord added this about it:
Sounds like what I have been thinking.
If this is to be the evolution of cam plus & now it will be rebranded as cam pro with a new price point, the same way they evolved can v1-v3, then i guess id be ok with that. But if this is to be a new type of subscription that is to run along side the other subscriptions, as others have suggested, then i will be very upset. I have been super supportive of wyze despite some unpleasant developments, but it appears that if this is to be a new tier of subscription service where cam plus is tier 1 & pro is tier 2, then wyze has finally become exactly the same as their conpetitors that sell a product then force you to buy a subscription to make the product function; or risk having a useless product. This is the reason I junked my arlo cams. If this is what wyze is becoming ill junk them too!!
What’s wrong with “Wyze Monitoring”? Geez, it’s obvious and takes advantage of the brand’s double entendre.
38:40-43:00 (video cued right at 38:40 where it starts talking about this subject:
Then when it gets to around 43:00 you can skip to around 52:10-53:25 (Cued below):
As I suspected from the initial video, Cam Plus Pro is for people who want a Professional security system without buying all the other equipment. Now instead a fancy hub and motion and contact sensors like all the other security companies require, Wyze can simply do all that with just cameras, and it’s even better than the regular motion sensors because it can do everything they can plus a lot more than those devices can do. It is separate from Cam Plus because of the connection to the Noonlight professional security monitoring that it includes. For those who don’t want or don’t care about the security monitoring company on call to contact law enforcement for you and you’re otherwise happy with Cam Plus, then you don’t need to worry about the pro subscription. Cam Plus will still continue to have everything you’re used to and will continue to get more stuff over the next few months and I’m guessing probably indefinitely. Pro is only if you want a monitored security system built out of just cameras with a dispatch company to call you when there is an alarm set off and see if you need them to call law enforcement for you if you validate to them by text or phone call that the alert that occurred while you “armed” your cam security system is a break-in or concerning. That’s all totally separate from regular Cam Plus which will continue as normal and not lose anything as people feared.
The Pro is not for everyone. Also, if you have the HMS subscription then you can’t use the Cam Plus Pro, or visa versa, they’re not compatible, they’re not upgrades of each other, they are totally distinct although they both use Noonlight as the security dispatch partner who will contact you and see if you need assistance or if an alert is a valid emergency.
I hope it is pretty clear now. I thought they did a fair job clarifying our questions.
Haha, I thought about that, It would be clever, but the problem is that it still confuses a lot of people since colloquially too many people think of any camera as a “monitor” and will just think it means you are paying to be able to do what it’s already been able to do this entire time.
It also doesn’t intuitively differentiate it from the HMS and will be confused, I think that’s why they wanted to keep the word “Cam” or “Cam Plus” since then it obviously has something to do with the Cameras.
Though all of the above is just from the business perspective considering most customers…I am wish you in liking the clever double entendre much better. It is cool.
My issue is mass emailing about a product and not having anything on your website about it… not even a coming soon. Come on Wyze! I understand building customer anticipation, but at least make it a little more clear that more details will be released at the live event. It looks like you guys just forgot to post it on the website or that there was an error in the email. I had to go to the forums to get some answers from other customers and nothing from Wyze itself.
Just asking for a little better marketing please!
This makes me VERY angry because as it stands cameras are pointless with HMS. The only thing that triggers alarms are motion sensors & contact sensors. If you add cameras to your HMS system its just for show. They do not actually monitor or have any impact what so ever. I added the cam plus to them at wyze suggestion thinking that at some point they will expand the service as wyze always says more services are coming. Now that ive bought all these services & equipment none of it will do what was originally expected. A security camera system with professional monitoring. But now im told to buy a new service for what i thought i was buying the first time. So how many times will i have to buy something else? Are there anymore bait an switches in the future if i stay with wyze? Im seriously getting completely done with wyze & ive supported them very well I own almost all of their products except the vacuums & scales.
The problem is that if your internet goes down, there goes your complete alarm system. There is no cellular backup at all. That is not mentioned in the description. SimplySafe monitoring is not ridiculously expensive at all. It costs $18.99 a month and has cellular backup included.
I honestly do not want the cellular service. I considered my options prior to opting to wyze. I decided to go the ‘wyze’ route before they offered the monitoring option. In my area cellular service is terrible. I wanted the use of wifi because its more stable for me. I did not like that most companies ONLY offer a cellular option. With most of them, the system is also useless without cell service. There were a few stand alone systems on amazon that were a base station & some door/window sensors & motion sensors that were maybe $200 more than the then wyze v1 sense package cost me to cover what i needed. I upgraded to the v2 setup & monitoring due to the improved motion sensors & the free start up kit when it was first offered. I felt together it would complete my setup for minimal upgrade cost. For the most part it is good but tje frequency inwhich the devices do not work coupled with the bait an switch advertising that wyze is doing is getting on my nerves.
I was however happy to see wyze change a little bit with the launch of the outdoor socket & floodlight launching at the same time. In the past wyze would have launched the floodlight then months later the socket. Somewhat forcing you to buy the more expensive option only to release the other option later. I fell prey to that with the useless outdoor cam. Then the cam v3 came out i never would have bought so many outdoor cams if i knew v3 was coming out. I will be trying to sell them for v3 cams using the sockets an other power options. But ultimately my frustration is still present with wyze. The omly reason I remain is because there is no other company im aware of that attempts to honor their products stand by their work.
My concern is that if there is a power failure, all ability to monitor and protect is lost as there is no battery backup.
