Apple's HomeKit Secure Video gets AI-powered upgrades

Apple's HomeKit Secure Video service is integrating with Apple Intelligence to bring more descriptive alerts from connected cameras and enable searching footage using natural language. The Apple Home app is also getting improved notifications powered by AI and is finally adding support for energy reporting. These improvements were announced at WWDC last week and will be publicly available this fall.

I've been playing with some of the features in the developer betas for iOS 27 and tvOS 27 for a few days, and based on my first impressions, Apple's HomeKit Secure Video is much improved - enough to put it back in contention for me as a viable smart home camera service. The AI-powered upgrades to HomeKit Secure Video seem designed to make it easier for users to stay on top of what's happening at home, even when they're not actively monitoring the app. With more descriptive alerts and natural language search, users should be able to quickly find specific footage without having to sift through hours of video.

The addition of energy reporting to the Apple Home app is also a welcome feature, providing users with a more comprehensive view of their smart home's energy usage. Why this matters: Apple's AI-powered upgrades to HomeKit Secure Video have significant implications for the smart home industry. By making it easier for users to monitor and manage their home security cameras, Apple is raising the bar for competitors.

For developers, this means a greater emphasis on integrating AI-powered features into their own smart home products. For businesses, it signals a growing demand for more sophisticated smart home solutions. For consumers, it means more intuitive and effective ways to manage their smart home devices.

However, it's unclear how these upgrades will impact the broader smart home market, and whether other companies will be able to match Apple's level of integration and ease of use.