Vivint Launches Some New Security Products
Security provider Vivint launched four new security products last week including the Doorbell Camera Pro, Outdoor Camera Pro, Spotlight Pro, and Indoor Camera Pro. The private label products will presumably be exclusive to Vivint subscribers and not available at retail. New with the latest line up of devices is an upgrade to Vivint’s proprietary computer vision chip (CVC) which will add enhanced artificial intelligence capaiblities. The indoor and outdoor cameras are available now for $249 and $399, respectively while the outdoor light and indoor camera will be available later this year.
The NPD Take:
- Smart home owners are increasingly sourcing their devices from security companies and as a result, providers are tasked with offering compelling products with up to date features. Vivint’s offer of premium features (at premium prices) for the core home security devices is likely a safe gamble amid falling ASPs in the home automation market.
- Subscribers to security services tend to be more affluent than other smart home owners and are clearly focused on securing their homes (not finding the cheapest device) making price slightly less of a consideration.
A New Ecobee Thermostat?
Ecobee’s most recent smart thermostat (Ecobee 3 lite) was released in 2019 and during that time there have been several new products to enter the market. Eagle-eyed online observers recently spotted a retailer listing for an Ecobee thermostat titled “Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced”. While few details were released, the product appears to include one home sensor and an updated UI. Related FCC filings indicate some subtle hardware tweaks as well.
The NPD Take:
- Though ecobee’s latest thermostat was released three years ago, the company remains the number two smart thermostat brand year to date, according to NPD’s Weekly Retail Tracking Service (through the week ending May 7, 2022).
- While pricing is not yet known, ASPs for most Ecobee thermostats are higher than the category average. As prices continue to fall in smart thermostats (and as new brands such as Amazon and Wyze enter the market under $100) Ecobee is entering an increasingly price conscious market. Perhaps (generator company) Generac’s recent acquisition of Ecobee will bring new services and features to the platform.