WyzeCam v2 Wi-Fi Security Cam Brings AI Object Detection While Keeping Low $20 Price Tag

by Brandon Hill — Tuesday, February 20, 2018, 11:39 AM EDT

Wyze Labs may not be a name that you may have heard of before, but you may begin hearing more about the company in the coming weeks and months. The company first burst onto the scene back in October when it launched the original $20 WyzeCam Wi-Fi security camera; and now it's back just a few months later with the WyzeCam v2.

Wyze Labs is based in Seattle, Washington, and was started by three former Amazon employees. The company's WyzeCam v2 builds on the strengths of its predecessor, which include 1080p video live streaming, night vision and two-way audio support. However, the second-generation model adds a new CMOS sensor which helps improve both daytime and nighttime viewing, and AI-based Motion Tagging, which can both detect and outline motion in streaming footage. The WyzeCam v2 has also been upgraded with a new audio processor.

While other smart security cameras have a "hook" in the form of a subscription service for storing captured video footage online, the WyzeCam v2 (like its predecessor) offers 14-day "rolling" cloud storage. You can easily access these saved video clips that are triggered either by sound or by motion. For those worried about the safety of such clips, they are stored using the AWS Cloud (which is quite fitting for former Amazon workers). If you prefer local storage, you can instead use the included microSD slot to store footage on a microSD card.

The WyzeCam v2 will ship later this month for the same price as its predecessor: $20 direct from the company’s website. According to Engadget, a firmware update that is scheduled for next month will even more functionality to the camera, including somewhat limited Alexa integration. Users will be able to call up live video footage from the cameras on an Amazon Echo Show or Echo Spot.

"We relentlessly keep costs low by partnering with the world’s most efficient manufacturers," writes the Wyze Labs founders on their website. "We cut out 'channel fat' by selling directly from our own website." In this case, the low price tag is offered due to a partnership with Chinese powerhouse Xiaomi to produce the WyzeCam series, which are rebranded versions of Xiaomi’s XiaoFang security camera with Wyze Labs' own firmware installed.

Tags: Amazon, AWS, wyze labs, wyzecam, wyzecam v2

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

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