Apple has introduced Apple Intelligence for Home within its HomeKit Secure Video service as part of the iOS 27 update released on September 14. The feature provides AI-generated text descriptions of camera activity, natural-language video search, and event summarization. It requires an iCloud Plus subscription, a compatible camera, and an Apple Home Hub.
Pricing for Apple Intelligence for Home is tiered based on the number of cameras: $9.99 per month for one camera, $29.99 for two, and $59.99 for up to five. This structure makes Apple’s service significantly more expensive than competitors. Both Google Nest and Amazon Ring charge $20 per month for unlimited cameras and advanced AI features.
In comparative testing, Google and Ring provided more detailed and accurate event descriptions than Apple. While Apple’s system successfully identifies delivery vehicles and people, its notifications are often briefer and less specific. Apple’s facial recognition and notification consistency also lagged behind the performance of the Google Nest and Ring platforms.
Apple has rearchitected its HomeKit Secure Video system in iOS 27 to improve recording stability and camera load times. Despite these improvements in the underlying architecture, the integration with third-party hardware remains a challenge for reliability. Users can still utilize video search to locate events even when push notifications are delayed or missing.
