Report Type:
Week In Review
Overview
More Doorbells with Google Assistant Could Be Knocking
According to 9to5Google, Google has opened up the Google Assistant API to more smart doorbell development from third party manufacturers.
The NPD Take:
- If you can’t beat ‘em…do more to try and beat them? Ring continues to dominate the smart doorbell space, despite competing products from Google (Nest), Arlo, and others. The end game for Google has always been to have Google Assistant alive and well in as many households as possible, creating a sticky ecosystem on which to enrich its wealth of consumer data. Expanding the Assistant’s reach into more doorbells is another means to that end.
Abode Launches Standalone Indoor/Outdoor Cam
Abode’s new Abode Cam 2 does not require a full abode system (though it can be used as part of one). The camera supports Smart Detect (with subscription), Abode’s feature that notifies users if a person is detected and adds a video clip to user timelines (package and pet detection is supposed to be added at some point, too). Other features include 1080p, full color night vision, and support for Alexa and Google Assistant. It is now available for pre-order for $29.
The NPD Take:
- From Abode’s point of view, it makes complete sense to offer standalone cameras, to either expand the surveillance capabilities of an iota system that has a camera (indoor only, obviously) built into the base station, or to add on to Abode’s more basic security system with no cameras. Given that Cam 2 is a standalone camera, theoretically it could attract brand new consumers to the abode brand…but that could be a tall order with all of the other low cost camera options on the market today.
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