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Today’s home security cameras come packed with features, not to mention compatibility testing with the Apple Home app. We’re testing in a few different ways in our homes and at CNET’s offices to really check out everything these cameras can do.
Camera setup and quality
When we set up cameras, we pay close attention to their design and how fragile or durable they are, as well as what features they have — for example, how easy it is to change batteries or insert a microSD card. And of course, we spend extra time with the camera lens itself, seeing how it moves and the quality of the image. For example, if a camera has a 2K resolution, we would expect the live view to be crisp and clear even when expanded. We test the camera’s image latency and connection reliability when viewing remotely as well.
Application and design controls
Even if you plan to use the Apple Home app for more of your work, you’ll still need to use the Camera app for some additional settings and features that Apple may not support. It’s therefore important that the app has good instructions and an intuitive design, with easy-to-access menus and settings. We watch for warning signs like multiple confusing menu steps, in-app ads, and features that aren’t well supported when they should be, like the ability to adjust motion sensitivity.
Apple Connections and Feature Support
For the Apple Camera, connections to the Apple app and Siri controls are very important. So we check out how easy it is to add Apple functionality and supported features directly into Apple Home. We make sure Siri can control important functions using voice commands as well. During our testing over several days, we monitor for dropped connections or errors from the platform.
If the camera supports communications with other household routines, we also see if it can be easily set up in a routine and performed as expected.
Aqara sensors have some compatibility with Apple Home but I found it to be very limited compared to other options.
Night vision and audio
Most cameras have additional features like night vision and two-way audio, so we delve into such capabilities and check to see how they perform. Night vision at 10 feet is pretty easy, but how do you do it at 30 or 40 feet? Can he see across a yard or large room with good quality?
Likewise, we listen to two-way audio and test conversations, not just up close but at a distance, checking the clarity of the sound and how easily it picks up random noise.
Motion detection and object recognition with artificial intelligence
If the camera supports motion detection, we see how well it works and if we can adjust the sensitivity to reasonable levels so that it doesn’t trigger easily. We’re also checking out any available AI features, such as the option to recognize a human or evict, as well as ignoring things like pets.
