HomeKit Camera

Amazon has reintroduced its Black Friday discounts on ecobee smart home products just in time for the holidays. With the shipping window closing soon, these deals provide an opportunity for last-minute savings on high-quality smart home gear, including the latest ecobee releases.

Amazon is currently offering the ecobee SmartCamera with HomeKit Secure Video support at a discounted price of $79.99, just in time for the holidays. This deal marks a 20% reduction from its regular price of $100 and matches offers seen during Black Friday and Prime Day this year.

Apple is preparing to make significant strides in the smart home market in 2025, with the introduction of several new Home products. These launches signal the company’s renewed focus on creating a powerful ecosystem for home automation and entertainment.

China-based Orvibo has introduced the Mixpad M5, a sophisticated smart hub that integrates Matter and Zigbee 3.0 gateways while incorporating Alexa voice control. Designed to act as a gateway, switch, and speaker, this device is fully compatible with Matter-enabled third-party devices, broadening its utility for smart home enthusiasts.

Apple, once a major player in the Wi-Fi router market with its AirPort line, discontinued its last AirPort product in 2018. However, recent developments and rumors suggest that the company may be gearing up to re-enter the market with a new version of its AirPort router.

Eufy, once thought to have abandoned support for Apple Home, has returned with its second HomeKit-compatible camera of 2024: the Indoor Cam E30. This model can be seen as an upgrade to the company’s 2020 indoor pan-and-tilt camera, which offered 2K resolution, alongside another fixed-position 2K camera.

Apple is reportedly gearing up to launch its own HomeKit-enabled wireless smart home camera in 2026, according to renowned supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The upcoming camera is expected to be closely integrated with a new HomePod featuring a display, offering users an Apple-designed home security solution for the first time.

Frontpoint security cameras continue to be a prominent choice in the home security market as we move into 2025. Known for their reliability and user-friendly systems, Frontpoint offers a variety of options tailored to meet different needs, from outdoor surveillance to smart doorbell cameras.

Apple’s HomeKit platform marked its tenth anniversary in September, reflecting a decade of mixed results in the smart home market. Despite early promises of secure and seamless integration, Apple’s efforts in the sector have largely remained understated, with occasional hardware releases like the HomePod and Apple TV offering reminders of its presence.

Apple had initially promised HomeKit support for robot vacuum cleaners by 2023, but the timeline has now shifted to 2025. While this delay may not be a major setback, it highlights a potential opportunity for Apple to revolutionize the market with its own robot vacuum cleaner.