Logitech unveiled the Circle View Doorbell on Tuesday, calling it “the first wired video doorbell developed exclusively for Apple HomeKit.”
The $199.99 accessory features Face Recognition and Logitech TrueView video, and works with most wired doorbell systems, Logitech said.
“Circle View Doorbell has been thoughtfully designed from the ground up to work exclusively with HomeKit, featuring all of the security features you’d want in a smart doorbell and a striking design that will add the finishing touch to your home,” said Michele Hermann, vice president of mobility at Logitech, in a press release.
It works with Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video, and delivers “crisp head-to-toe portrait video from just 2 feet away, true HDR to handle high-contrast scenes, and color night vision up to 6 feet away,” Logitech said.
Apple laid out its grand plans for HomeKit during its Worldwide Developers Conference in 2014. The home-automation platform launched later that year, but has been slow to gain traction. Apple’s strict security focus — initially tied to proprietary components in all HomeKit hardware — made the platform less attractive to manufacturers.
Apple added software HomeKit authentication in 2018, making it easier for third parties to produce hardware. And a HomeKit upgrade this year added facial recognition and activity zones for smart cameras, along with other features.
Logitech Circle View Doorbell
Photo: Logitech
Still, the new Circle View Doorbell joins a very short list of HomeKit doorbells. Apple’s HomeKit accessories page currently lists only three of them. (The Circle View Doorbell does not yet appear on the page.)
At this point, the Circle View looks like a compelling option for HomeKit fans looking to put eyes on their home’s entryways. At just $199, it matches the cheapest HomeKit doorbell — the Yobi B3, which does not yet support HomeKit Secure Video. Robin’s HomeKit doorbells cost closer to $600, and Netatmo’s $300 offering remains unavailable in the United States.
“With HomeKit Secure Video, a powerful and secure smart home platform available on more than a billion active iOS and iPadOS devices, intelligent detection is done securely and privately on your HomePod, the new HomePod mini, or Apple TV to determine when a person, animal, or vehicle is in the video,” Logitech said. “You can securely interact with Circle View Doorbell in the Home app or by asking Siri on supported Apple devices.”
Facial recognition and other advanced features
The Face Recognition features “identifies people you tag in your Photos library or recent visitors captured by your camera or doorbell in the Home app,” Logitech said. “With Circle View Doorbell, you can use the Home app to be notified when people come to the door and receive smart notifications across your Apple devices — on your iPhone and Apple Watch while you’re away, or even an announcement on Apple TV and HomePod. You can even mute your home’s existing wired chime. Video streams and recordings using HomeKit Secure Video are processed on the home hub device, uploaded to iCloud, and are end-to-end encrypted securely to the Home app. These recordings do not count against your iCloud storage limit for photos, videos, and files.”
Pricing and installation
The $199.99 price gets you the Circle View Doorbell, which Logitech said “supports existing systems powered by 8-24 V AC transformers with 10 VA or higher power.” (Logitech’s compatibility checker lets you see if your system is up to snuff.)
If you don’t feel like fussing with installation, Logitech partner HelloTech can handle installation nationwide for a fee.
Buy from: Logitech
