Apple Home AI features in iOS 27 and macOS 27 require expensive subscription
Apple's major AI push this fall includes not only the Siri AI chatbot and the ability to generate images using artificial intelligence, but also new smart home features. Most notably, the Apple Home app in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 will feature AI object recognition for security cameras compatible with Apple HomeKit Secure Video.
This makes it possible, for example, to recognize faces and actions, enabling notifications such as "Alex has left the house" instead of the previously rather unspecific messages that motion had been detected. Apple Home can automatically add descriptions to video clips, allowing them to be searched using natural language, while interesting events can be marked on the video timeline, similar to YouTube chapter markers.
However, these new AI features are not offered for free. As Apple confirmed in the release notes for the third beta version of macOS 27, Apple Intelligence for Home requires the most expensive iCloud+ subscription, which includes 2 TB of storage for photos and backups and currently costs $9.99 per month. Apple is thus pursuing a strategy similar to Google’s, using AI features to encourage customers to sign up for an expensive subscription.
HomeKit Secure Video without AI features is already available with the most affordable iCloud+ subscription, which costs $0.99 per month and includes 50 GB of cloud storage. But anyone who wants to use not just one, but up to five cameras must sign up for the 200 GB plan for $2.99 per month. The 2 TB plan allows for an unlimited number of security cameras.
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