Philips Hue has rolled out a significant update for its Secure cameras, now equipped to automatically detect moving intruders and sound an 80-decibel siren.
This upgrade enhances the popular range of Philips Hue Secure cameras, which include both wired and wireless models, along with an outdoor floodlight camera. The cameras are capable of detecting motion and distinguishing between people, animals, and vehicles. They can now trigger a loud siren based on the type of motion detected.
Philips Hue explains, “You can now set your cameras or sensors to trigger an alarm automatically. With a Secure plan, you can choose which type of motion—person, animal, vehicle, or package—activates the alarm, thanks to advanced, AI-powered alerts.”
However, this feature is only available to those subscribed to the Secure plan, which costs $39.99 or £34.99 per year for a single camera. Many users may find this cost reasonable for the added security benefits.
The Basic Secure plan includes additional features such as continuous video clip recording, activity zones, and a 30-day video history. It also offers AI-powered detection of people, animals, vehicles, and packages, which supports the new alarm feature.
For comprehensive coverage of all cameras and 60 days of video recording, the Plus Secure plan is available at approximately two and a half times the cost of the Basic plan.
To check for the new update, look for version 5.22 on your devices. The alarm can be activated with a single tap on the Secure tile in the app’s Home panel.
While the new update is not a foolproof defense against intruders, it could help deter them or alert you to motion. Users will continue to receive regular motion alerts via smartphone notifications and can view live footage to identify the source of the alarm.
The update is currently available for both iOS on the Apple App Store and Android on the Google Play Store.
