Ooma recently announced a new smart security camera called the Ooma Smart Cam. This device launches as a part of the company’s security platform known as the Ooma Smart Security, a solution that allows users to track their relatives and observe events within the home. Homeowners may install the security camera in both outdoor and indoor locations due to its weather-resistant design. Moreover, homeowners do not have to deal with wires as they set up the device since the cameras can connect wirelessly to the internet and it also includes rechargeable internal batteries which could last up to six months on a single charge. The device also has a magnetic mount that allows the homeowner to easily remove the Ooma Smart Cam, although people may also use common off-the-shelf indoor and outdoor mounts with the product. The security camera also includes 16GB of internal storage, which enables the device to continue recording videos even if the power or the internet connection goes down.
The device can start recording videos within a second of detecting motion or a loud noise within the home, which Ooma claims is faster than the two to four second startup time needed by other cameras. The 1080p video clips captured by the device are stored for free on the cloud for seven days. However, an optional monthly subscription plan, which costs $4.99 for one camera and $9.99 for two to six cameras, increases the time the videos are stored online to 30 days. This subscription plan also enables other features of the device, which include facial recognition, auto privacy mode, and two-way audio. The facial recognition feature of the Ooma Smart Cam takes advantage of artificial intelligence to identify the homeowners’ family members, friends, and pets. This feature prevents the product from pushing unnecessary notifications, and it will only alert the user once it detects unfamiliar faces entering the home. Meanwhile, the Ooma Smart Cam determines the location of the user through their mobile phones, and it will automatically turn on the Auto Privacy Mode, a feature that automatically arms and disarms the camera, once the homeowner arrives. The security camera also includes a microphone and a speaker, which allows the user to communicate with the people within the home using the two-way audio feature.
Background: The Ooma Smart Cam serves as an important addition to the Ooma Smart Security system, a platform that uses a variety of sensors to fully monitor the events within the home. Among the devices that the security system uses include a motion sensor, which can alert the camera to start video recording once it detects movement. The system also includes dedicated sensors for doors, windows, and water surfaces, and it is fully compatible with the internet phone service of the tech firm, the Ooma Telo. Compatibility with Ooma Telo allows the tech firm to include telephone base stations and handsets with the security system, and these devices can provide real-time alerts about the events within the home. The phone service also allows users to contact their local 911 operators directly from their smartphones, wherever they are in the world, using the Remote 911 service.
Impact: Numerous tech firms recently released their own security camera offerings, with companies like ARLO also incorporating these devices into comprehensive security solutions. However, Ooma promises useful features that allow its offerings to stand out from the competition, which includes facial recognition, faster video recording, and support for internet telephony. Furthermore, Ooma has been offering its own smart security system since 2017, which should make its solution more mature than many of its rival products.
