Arlo has announced a new smart home security system. | Image: Arlo
Arlo announced the impending arrival of its long-awaited home security system at CES 2022 this week, and the product even got a nod as a 2022 CES Innovation Award honoree. The company, known for its top-quality smart security cameras, also announced its support for Matter, a possible indication that a Matter specification for security cameras isn’t too far away.
The DIY security monitoring solution is a natural expansion for the company that has a full suite of home security cameras. So natural that it actually announced one at CES 2019.
While that product never saw the light of day, the latest Arlo Security System is a complete redesign. The signature feature are the new, all-in-one multi-sensors with eight different functions, plus NFC integrated into the hub so users can tap their phone to disarm the system. Arlo says the system will be available to buy in the first half of 2022.
The all-in-one sensors are capable of recognizing motion, door / window openings and tilt, water leaks, light / temperature changes, and they can listen for smoke and CO alarms, says Arlo. Small and lightweight, the multi-sensor is 1.1 inches wide and runs on a battery.
Image: Arlo
Arlo’s new security system uses these single multi-sensors to monitor your home.
The sensors go with the Arlo Security System’s “modular hub,” which serves as a central controller and has a built-in siren, smoke / CO alarm sensor, and integrated backlit keypad. It also has NFC technology to enable the tap to arm / disarm feature.
“We engineered the Arlo Security System to not only complete Arlo’s ecosystem but to address pain points common with other solutions on the market,” says Tim Johnston, SVP of product at Arlo. Additionally, Arlo says the system integrates with existing Arlo security cameras.
However, details on exactly what those integrations will entail were not made available. We also don’t know the price of the system or if you will need to subscribe to Arlo Secure — Arlo’s monthly subscription plan for its cameras that starts at $3 a month. My guess is there will be a fee to use the system, although currently it doesn’t appear there is any professional monitoring option.
There’s also no word on smart home integrations, but Arlo traditionally has been a very open system, working with SmartThings, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit. I reached out to Arlo with these questions and was told that more information will be available at launch.
While the multi-sensors are an innovative idea and similar to Google’s excellent Nest Detect sensors for its now-defunct Nest Secure security system, the downside is likely to be cost. These multi-sensors are often significantly more expensive than the motion and contact sensors used in security systems from competitors such as Ring and SimpliSafe. This means outfitting a typical three-bedroom home with an Arlo Security System could get expensive quickly.