Everyone’s favorite Smart Thermostat Company Ecobee has expanded their lineup today with a new HomeKit supported security camera, as well as contact Sensors.

ecobee SmartCamera with voice control

The SmartCamera with voice control (a terrible name but that’s just me), is a reasonably decent looking WiFi camera with the following specs:





ecobee SmartCamera with voice control

1080p Video with 180 degree field of view

Alexa built in

Two-Way Talk

Night Vision

14 day video history with home monitoring addon

As it appears, the SmartCamera with both HomeKit and Alexa, but not Google Assistant.

Ecobee is also focusing on privacy, by shutting the camera down when family members are around (no detail on how yet). It also encrypts all video, as well processes it all locally.

I’m not entirely sure what purpose Alexa serves being built into the SmartCamera, but for those that don’t already have an Echo in their home, now you do. I hope and assume this can be disabled.

ecobee SmartSensor for doors and windows

The SmartSensor is a door and window contact sensor that integrates with the rest of the Ecobee system. It doesn’t say what technology they use to connect to the system, but presumably it isn’t Wifi and it connects to either the SmartCamera or Thermostat some other way.



ecobee SmartSensors

ecobee Haven Home Monitoring

Ecobee also launched ecobee Haven, which is a subscription home monitoring system. It appears to be a way for ecobee to automatically set up home automations and features.

For people that want the benefits of a smart home security system but don’t have the inclination to set up all the different automations themselves, this can be a good solution.

It will integrate all your ecobee devices together, and using the connection with your phone, will know when you’re home, or when you’re away, in order to automatically arm or disarm your security features.

Ecobee Haven also appears to be the only way to save your SmartCamera recordings, but this will be investigated further and updated.

The ecobee SmartCamera is available now for $179, the SmartSensors are $79 for a two-pack, (or $99 for a two pack bundle with the temperature sensors).

Ecobee Haven has a one month free trial, and will cost you either $5 (one camera) or $10 (unlimited cameras) a month after that.

The ecobee 3 Lite is also still the best smart thermostat out there in my opinion, for only $149.