Wyze Rolls Out Facial Recognition, Professional Monitoring with New Service - CNET

2022-05-14 00:30:15 By : Ms. Miki Wong

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The Cam Plus Pro subscription will bring new features to select Wyze security cameras.

David Priest is an award-winning writer and editor who covers home security for CNET. When he isn't waving his hands wildly in front of motion sensors or making faces at video doorbells, he spends his time playing board games and video games with his wife and family.

Wyze made its $4 monthly Cam Plus Pro subscription service widely available this week. The service introduces facial recognition and 24/7 professional monitoring to existing Wyze cameras, including the Wyze Cam v2 , v3 and Pan v1.

Cam Plus Pro's professional monitoring feature relies on third-party service Noonlight. Essentially, you'll be able to arm your camera and if the device detects a person, it will alert you and the monitoring service. If you enter a PIN, the alarm will be canceled. If not, the monitoring service will attempt to contact you and, failing that, alert the authorities.

Wyze already offers professional monitoring for its DIY home security system , but the Cam Plus Pro service is distinct -- focusing on camera monitoring rather than tripped sensors. In the case of an emergency, Noonlight agents will be able to forward video captured by the device in the specific event to 911 dispatchers -- but they will not be able to access live video feeds or stored video history.

The cost-conscious smart home security developer has been ramping up development of new devices and services in 2022, launching a $155 gun safe , a $70 fingerprint deadbolt lock and a $40 garage door controller and camera bundle in March and April alone. This accelerated expansion comes after a slow year for Wyze in 2021, in which supply chain challenges led to price hikes for the otherwise wallet-friendly company.

This also follows a recent report that the company failed to alert customers to a serious security flaw in its cameras for nearly three years -- leading to questions about where a company's responsibility to its customers begins and ends .

Cam Plus Pro is available now.