Amazon has its sights set on Alphabet's Nest with a new indoor camera that works with the company's smart assistant Alexa.
Amazon on Wednesday (Oct. 25) unveiled the Amazon Cloud Cam, a $120 camera that records 1080p full HD video and features night vision, as well as two-way audio and a wide viewing angle to capture more in the frame. You can also access the activity around your camera over the last 24 hours, thanks to the Amazon Cloud Cam app.
The new camera, which retails for $120 for one, $200 for two, and $290 for three, is the first from the company to support Amazon Key. According to the e-commerce giant, Amazon Key "enables in-home delivery and secure home access for guests and service appointments" without you being forced to be home.
Amazon Key is essentially a smart lock that would allow delivery people or service people to access your home without ever having an actual key. You can turn off access at any time, and Amazon Cloud Cam will track people throughout the home so you can ensure there's no funny business going on. Amazon Key is available exclusively to Amazon Prime members, however, so those who aren't paying for the annual subscription are out of luck.
Cloud Cam's integration of Alexa is also a critical component. With Alexa's help, you can request to see a real-time feed of anywhere in the home. Amazon was quick to note, however, that the Alexa component in the Cloud Cam is powered by its other smart home appliances, like the Echo Show, Fire TV, and others. So, you'll need to have one of those devices to use Alexa and view the content.
MORE: 49 Best Amazon Alexa Skills
In addition to paying for a camera, you might want to subscribe to the Cloud Cam subscription, which provides access to your recorded video for up to 30 days. If you subscribe to the service, you'll also get access to Person Detection, which will allow you to tag people and see what they're up to as they walk around the cameras. You also get Zones with a subscription, which lets you indicate certain areas of your home with motion that you want ignored (like a ceiling fan).
Here's a breakdown of the subscription plans, which all come with a 30-day free subscription:
- Basic: Access 7 Days of motion detection clips on up to three cameras: $6.99 per month or $69 per year
- Extended: Access 14 days of motion detection clips on up to five cameras: $9.99 per month or $99 per year
- Pro: Access 30 days of motion detection clips on up to 10 cameras: $19.99 per month or $199 per year
If all that sounds familiar, there's good reason for that: Alphabet's Nest Cam Indoor comes with many of the same features.
Nest Cam Indoor similarly supports 1080p video and can detect a person or animal. With Nest Aware, you can also get alerts when certain people walk by a camera and access stored content on subscription plans that range from $10 per month to $30 per month. The Basic $10-a-month or $100-a-year option gives you 10 days of video history. The $30-per-month and $300-per-year option offers access to 30 days of video history.
Like the Amazon Cloud Cam, Nest Cam Indoor comes with two-way audio. But at $199 for one and $497 for three, the Nest Cam is far more expensive than Amazon's option. And the Nest Cam Indoor doesn't come with Alexa support.
Amazon's Cloud Cam will begin shipping on Nov. 8. If you're interested in getting the camera, Amazon is offering pre-orders now.
