Apple just confirmed pricing for its biggest smart home upgrade – and it's different to what we expected
Not everyone will be happy
QUICK SUMMARY
Apple has confirmed that its upcoming AI-powered HomeKit Secure Video features will require the 2TB iCloud+ subscription, rather than the cheaper plans many users expected.
The new Apple Intelligence tools will introduce AI-generated event summaries, natural language video search and smarter security camera notifications, but they'll only be available to subscribers paying £8.99/$9.99 per month.
Apple has confirmed that its upcoming Apple Intelligence smart home features will only be available with its top-tier 2TB iCloud+ subscription. Whilst the company previously revealed that the new AI tools would require iCloud+, it hadn't specified which plan users would need.
Unveiled at WWDC last month, the new features will bring AI-generated video summaries and natural language search to HomeKit Secure Video, making it much easier to find specific moments in your security camera footage by simply typing a phrase.
However, rather than being included with the standard HomeKit Secure Video plans, these Apple Intelligence features will now be exclusive to subscribers on the 2TB iCloud+ tier.
The 2TB plan currently costs £8.99/$9.99 per month, compared to the entry-level 50GB iCloud+ plan, which starts at just £0.99/$0.99 per month. There's also a 200GB tier for £2.99/$2.99 per month, which supports up to five HomeKit Secure Video cameras.
That means the upgrade isn't quite as affordable as many people had hoped, particularly when you compare it with the subscription plans offered by some rival smart home brands.
That said, the 2TB tier does support an unlimited number of HomeKit Secure Video cameras. So, if you've already invested heavily in Apple's ecosystem, the higher monthly cost may be easier to justify.
