Why Is It Good and What Are Its Pros and Cons?

If you have security cameras at home, you might be wondering how to store and access your video footage securely and conveniently. One option that you might want to consider is Apple Secure Video, a feature that works with HomeKit-enabled cameras and iCloud+ subscriptions. In this blog post, I will explain what Apple Secure Video is, why it is good, and what are its pros and cons.

What Is Apple Secure Video?

Apple Secure Video is a feature that allows you to store encrypted video recordings from your HomeKit-enabled cameras in iCloud for up to 10 days without counting against your storage limit. You can access your recordings from any of your devices that are signed in with the same Apple ID and have Home turned on. You can also view live streams from your cameras in the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple TV.

Apple Secure Video uses end-to-end encryption, which means that only you and people you invite can view your recordings. No one else, not even Apple or your camera manufacturer, can see or access your videos. Your recordings are also analyzed locally on your home hub (a HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV, or iPad) before they are uploaded to iCloud. This way, you can get notifications based on specific activities or people detected by your cameras without sending any personal data to the cloud.

Why Is Apple Secure Video Good?

Secure Video is good for several reasons:

• It offers a high level of privacy and security for your video footage. You don't have to worry about hackers or third parties accessing or misusing your videos.
• It provides a convenient way of storing and accessing your recordings across all your devices. You don't need a separate app or account for each camera or manufacturer.
• It gives you more control over how and when your cameras record. You can set different recording options based on whether you are home or away. You can also create automations based on motion detection or facial recognition.
• It does not use up any of your iCloud storage space. You can store up to five hours of recordings per camera per day for up to 10 days without affecting your storage limit. The number of cameras you can use depends on your iCloud+ plan: 50 GB plan supports one camera; 200 GB plan supports up to five cameras; 2 TB plan supports up to unlimited cameras.

What Are Its Pros and Cons?

Like any other feature, Apple Secure Video has its pros and cons:

Pros:

• Privacy and security
• Convenience
• Control
• Storage

Cons:

• Compatibility: Not all security cameras support HomeKit or Apple Secure Video. You need to check if your camera model is compatible before buying it or setting it up.
• Cost: You need an iCloud+ subscription to use Apple Secure Video. The cheapest plan costs $0.99 per month for 50 GB of storage (plus one camera). The most expensive plan costs $9.99 per month for 2 TB of storage (plus unlimited cameras).
• Reliability: You need a reliable internet connection and a working home hub for Apple Secure Video to function properly. If either of them fails, you might lose access to your recordings or miss important events.

Introducing MultiCam for HomeKit

If you are interested in using Apple Secure Video for your home security needs, you might also want to check out MultiCam for HomeKit, an app that lets you watch multiple cameras at the same time on one screen.

MultiCam for HomeKit is compatible with any HomeKit-enabled camera that supports live streaming. You can view many cameras simultaneously on iPhone/iPad/Mac and zoom in/out with pinch gestures.