Everything Apple Home
Everything Apple Home in under 5 mins is the podcast for anyone who wants to get more from Apple Home, Matter and the wider Apple ecosystem.
Hosted by Jon Ratcliffe from Apple Home Authority, each episode covers the latest Apple Home news, new products, software updates and the technologies shaping the smart home, including Matter, Thread, HomeKit and Apple Intelligence.
With more than 10 years of experience using Apple Home and six years testing smart home products, Jon cuts through the marketing to explain what actually matters, what works and what doesn’t.
Expect news, opinions, real-world experiences and practical advice to help you build a better Apple smart home.
Everything Apple Home
iOS 27 Beta 5 Reveals Possible Apple Intelligence Camera Costs
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iOS 27 Developer Beta 5 has revealed some interesting details about how Apple could limit its new Apple Intelligence camera features depending on your iCloud+ plan.
We look at the camera limits currently appearing in the beta, with the 2TB iCloud+ plan appearing to support Apple Intelligence features on five cameras, increasing as additional iCloud storage is added.
Importantly, this appears to be a limit specifically affecting the new Apple Intelligence camera features rather than Apple’s existing HomeKit Secure Video recording limits — and with iOS 27 still in beta, none of these limits have been officially confirmed as final.
Plus, eufy launches the new Solar Wall Light Cam S4, combining a 4K security camera, solar charging and outdoor lighting with Apple Home support through HomeBase 3.
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Intro
SPEAKER_00Welcome back to Everything Apple Home. This week, iOS 27 Developer Beta 5 has revealed some interesting details about Apple Intelligence for cameras, and UFI has released a new solar wall like cam S4 with Apple Home support. Let's get straight into it. So this
Apple Intelligence for cameras
SPEAKER_00week, Apple has released iOS 27 Beta 5, and whilst there's not many major changes to Apple Home itself, the latest beta has revealed something potentially much more significant, and that's what Apple Intelligence could mean for HomeKit Secure Video Camera Limits and your iCloud Plus subscription. Apple has already confirmed previously that you need at least a 2TB iCloud Plus plan to access the new Apple Intelligence camera features. I'm currently on the 2TB Cloud Plan, which under the existing HomeKit Secure Video supports unlimited cameras for storage. But inside iOS 27 beta 5, Apple Ohm is now showing that my plan supports Apple Intelligence features on just 5 cameras. Even more interestingly, it gives me the option to upgrade my storage to increase that limit. So I did some testing. The 2TB plan supports 5 cameras with Apple Intelligence features. Adding another 2 terabit increases that to 10 cameras, moving up to 6 increases it to 15 cameras, and the 12 terabit plan increases the limit to 30 cameras. Now this doesn't necessarily mean Apple is removing unlimited home kit secure video recording for the 2TB plan. What we're looking at appears to be a separate limit specifically for the new Apple Intelligence features. At this stage though, Apple hasn't officially confirmed these limits, these are just based on my testing. And we're still dealing with beta software, so this could potentially change as iOS 27 is released to the public later this year. And finally,
Euf Wall Cam S4
SPEAKER_00following its announcement at CES this year, Eufy's new solar light camera S4 is now available in the US. This combines an outdoor security camera, solar power, and exterior lighting into a single device. The camera itself records at 4K resolution along with night vision for improved visibility after dark. The camera can also be adjusted vertically up 45 degrees, allowing you to fine-tune the viewing angle depending on where it's mounted. Power comes from a detachable 2 watt power panel combined with a large battery, removing the need for permanent power to the camera, and it's also IP65 rated. And because this is an outdoor light, UFI includes several lighting options covering everyday illumination, security lighting, and more decorative lighting as well. And most importantly for Apple Home users, it supports Apple Home and HomeKit Secure Video through a Home Base 3. You can also access the light controls in Apple Home, allowing just the colour, temperature, and brightness. The sensor is also exposed to Apple Home as well. So this gives Apple Home users another option if you're looking for an outdoor camera and wall light without having to install two separate devices, and it's also wire free. So that's everything for Apple at Home this week. For deeper
More Info
SPEAKER_00coverage on every story, visit AppleHomeAuthority.com and make sure you're following for more Apple at home news, reviews, and tutorials. Thanks very much. I'll speak to you next week.