Nest reportedly announcing 4K security camera later this month

Nest is apparently just a week or so away from introducing the next generation of its home security camera. According to Android Police, the new Nest Cam will be an indoor camera capable of recording footage in 4K. But there’s a twist: rather than saving and streaming the footage in 4K, Nest will use the extra resolution to provide a better zoom function for the camera. That way, if the camera spots something moving, it’ll be able to crop down to 1080p to provide a zoomed-in look that’s still in HD.

It sounds like a smart approach for the new camera, especially since so few people have devices right now that are capable of streaming 4K (on top of that, 4K would mean huge video files that’d be tough on bandwidth and storage). Plus, if the camera does catch something, being able to tell what’s actually moving is ultimately what matters, and this method ought to improve what homeowners are able to see.

Android Police says there’ll be a few other changes made for this generation, too. There’ll reportedly be a ring around the lens that lights up to indicate when the camera is recording; it’ll switch over to USB-C for power; and some of Nest’s subscription-only features will be opened up to all owners — the report speculates that could include person alerts, which send a notification to Nest Cam owners when a person walks into the camera’s line of sight.

The upgraded Nest Cam will reportedly resemble the outdoor Nest Cam and will sell for $300. That’s $100 more than the current indoor Nest Cam, which suggests that model might stick around while the new one is added as a higher-end alternative. Android Police says it should be announced by the end of the month.

The article was published on : theverge