Apple’s recently unveiled HomeView smart display could also function as a home security camera, according to a new finding in its software. The device, which already has a built-in camera for FaceTime calls and facial recognition, could supposedly use the same hardware for motion detection, live streaming, and video recording through HomeKit Secure Video.
The feature was spotted by a Reddit user in the settings files of HomeView Software 27.2 (via TheVerge). Apple hasn’t officially announced anything about it yet, but the references suggest there are going to be a few more uses for the built-in camera.
HomeView could offer multiple camera settings
The most notable of them will be the ability to control how the camera works. Users will supposedly be able to turn it off entirely, enable motion detection without recording, allow live streaming, or enable both streaming and recording.
The camera will also behave differently based on whether the members of the household are home, away, or asleep, it seems. For example, users could set the device to record activity when nobody is home and stop recording when someone returns.
There are also a few privacy safeguards on the table. A green indicator and an audible alert will supposedly notify people when the camera is accessed or starts recording. Members of the household could also receive notifications whenever the camera settings are changed.
It could also work as a baby or pet monitor
Aside from functioning as a home security camera, I can see the feature being used as a baby monitor or a pet camera. Parents could use it to check on their sleeping child from another room, while pet owners could keep an eye on their animals when they are away.
The functionality could make even more sense on Apple’s rumored 360-degree rotating HomeView. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is developing a higher-end model with a roughly 9-inch display mounted on a robotic arm that can rotate in any direction. Such a design could make it easier to monitor different parts of a room. However, the feature is not active in the current software, and Apple hasn’t said anything about its availability either.