What does an Apple security camera look like (and should you wait)?

Apple’s smart home support has one very glaring missing piece: compatible smart security cameras, which are few and far between (and often very dated). But if the rumors flying around this week are true, That will change dramatically in 2026when Apple is reportedly set to launch its own smart home camera.

While Apple has been selling HomeKit-enabled camsspecifically from Eve and Logitech, this would be Apple’s first standalone home camera device. That raises a number of questions about what Apple’s camera will look and function like.

Our predictions for an Apple security camera

If these rumors are true, we’ll need another year or two before we get a proper look at Apple’s camera. But based on their current HomeKit and AI decisions, there are: lot from the things we can deduce. Here’s what we think an Apple home camera would include:

• Support of matter: Apple is one of the main parents of the Matter protocol, which improves the security of smart homes and offers greater compatibility with the likes of Amazon, Apple and Google. Matter was supposed to expand support for home security cameras since the 1.2 update, but this keeps getting postponed. 2026 should be the perfect time for Matter to support video and for brands to have enough time to adopt it for their cameras. Expect this to be a priority for Apple.
• A high resolution: The cameras Apple currently recommends on its store are stuck at 1080p resolution, which is far from high-end for home cameras, many of which are now available in 2K and 4K resolutions to capture much more detail. We expect Apple to target the top end of the home security market and release particularly high-resolution cameras, most likely up to 4K (but with downloads that can be adjusted based on how much space you want to save).

• Indoor/outdoor compatibility: In addition to that high resolution, you can expect Apple to follow in the footsteps of Nest and Amazon brand Ring by offering a camera that has both indoor and outdoor functionality, with enough weather resistance so that outdoor use won’t be a problem. That also means it will likely be a battery-powered, cordless model.
• Apple Intelligence features: Apple Intelligence will have plenty of time to develop upon release in 2026, and we expect it to be fully integrated into all aspects of an Apple camera. Expect smart alerts that automatically adjust based on your habits, and recognition capabilities for noticing a wide variety of specific objects. By then, it’s likely that Siri will also be able to have a full conversation from your security, even if you’re not around to talk.
• More facial recognition: Although Apple has dabbled in facial recognition before with HomeKit Secure Video, these efforts went nowhere. With facial recognition quickly becoming the standard for home cameras and Apple Intelligence well underway, you can bet that Apple will add the ability to recognize faces, likely faces already saved in your Photos app and Apple Contacts app, perhaps even linked to genmojis or other original AI content related to those people.

• No additional hub: Many security cameras offer additional Wi-Fi hubs to add more functionality, including local storage, more security, and even HomeKit support. Apple won’t do that. Instead, it will take the same approach as smart devices, using another Apple device as an automatic hub. This will likely include iPads, Apple TVs and HomePods (whatever form they may take in 2026).
• All subscriptions via iCloud: It’s not a problem: Apple will likely use a subscription model for more advanced features, and offer that subscription through iCloud, as before. Those who already pay for extra iCloud space will likely get free features. The HKSV cost started low, around $3, but we expect a 2026 camera to have slightly higher subscription costs.
• Interchangeable screen display: Apple likes to share content seamlessly between devices, so we’re pretty sure an Apple camera will have the ability to easily switch video feeds between iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and more. That “more” could also include an Apple Smart Display, a branch of the HomePod that seems particularly likely.
• A video doorbell option: We don’t know much about the design of an Apple security camera, because Apple hasn’t made anything like it before. But turning it into a video doorbell seems like an obvious choice. They appeal to a wide range of people, demand is currently very high and they are an excellent option for using advanced intelligence features such as Siri calls or facial recognition.

So, should you wait for the Apple security camera?

We wouldn’t wait until 2026 to purchase a security camera, even if you’re a diehard Apple user. That’s too much time if you want to keep an eye on your house or apartment, including benefits like package detection and other smart alerts.

Instead, we recommend dodging the wait and getting the Arlo Essential video doorbell with the Arlo Pro Smart Hubwhich adds Apple Home/Siri compatibility for a total of less than $150. Then you can wait and see what Apple’s own camera looks like when it arrives.

To learn more, check out what to expect from Apple Intelligence on your iPhone in the coming months, our favorite new iPhones, and the best outdoor security cameras around.