Predictions for future products

I’ll post this here where there are a few more involved users I think. This is a prediction I posted on the reddit sub in response to someone else’s prediction. It may be a bit lame but I thought it might be fun.
I believe additional cameras will come but I think there will be other devices as well. I imagine they will release reed sensors (open/close) and motion sensors sooner than later. They are easily available from manufacturers (like their V1/V2 cams) and can be had at decent prices.

Certain sensors require additional certifications, like smoke alarms, so those are more complicated. They would be able to be integrated with cams such as trigger recording or turn on notifications through the app / software. People would already be in the ecosystem (App) and probably would be more willing to add on from there.

Now, the trick is what type of protocol those devices would use. Wifi makes things complicated because each one needs to be signed onto the WiFi and it can congest the network, also if the network is down nothing will work correctly. I am not a fan of WiFi sensors as they could number in the dozens easily at a home. Protocols like Zigbee and Z Wave are separate from the WiFi spectrum so no worries there but require a hub. Some other protocols can be used but most of those, like 433 Mhz, are falling out of favor for more standard protocols and then there are things like Thread and similar which are basically proprietary protocols built on standardized ones and aren’t widely used. A hub being necessary for some is an added cost that many people don’t want, which is why WiFi has gotten popular. That could be overcome by having the sensors connect to the Wyze cameras directly but I don’t know if they have any other radios in them already (Z Wave or Zigbee or such).

BUT Wyze cams DO have a USB plug in the back of them (I always thought the idea of using that to daisy chain Wyze cams was interesting but not particularly compelling). Perhaps they could have a small add-on or USB dongle that plugs in directly but it would need to be fairly small to not interfere with mounting the cam. Future Wyze cams could be built with such a radio built in but that is another cost not everyone would want or need on all cams.

If that is the plan, I hope they can keep the costs down, perhaps offer a kit with sensors and the add-on, or volume discounts. I hope the camera price points weren’t just a way to get us into the ecosystem with then high prices on everything else they will sell but it is possible. They may also be looking to add-on a professional monitoring option as a way to raise revenue. I hope they add-on to those devices with an outdoor camera or cameras. I like the cameras I have and if nothing else I will continue to use them.

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Abode, the crappy alarm system started by two ADP bigwigs has one interesting product: sensor that monitors your smoke alarm. If the smoke alarm goes off you are notified by the Abode app.
In order for it to work all it needs is to be with in a 1 meter earshot of a working smoke alarm. It does not care which brand as long as it is working. Inside is a battery and stuff to hear noise and send notice to the Abode base station.
kaw

The cameras currently have smoke and CO detection on them. Do you alarm settings and then turn them on