Swann transforms business from security to connected home

Australian security vendor to partner with Nest and others for subscription service

Swann Communications will next year launch a subscription surveillance service that will see the home CCTV vendor move beyond security and into the Internet of Things.

The home monitoring service, set for a US launch at the CES expo in January followed by Australia and Europe in February, will provide a single interface connecting IP-enabled surveillance cameras and other sensors made by Swann with home automation products from third parties.

When a camera detects a possible break in or a smoke detector sniffs a fire, the system sends instant smartphone notifications to customers and/or professional security services, who can then take action to call emergency services if needed.

Swann hopes to create a large hardware ecosystem by partnering with third parties that make non-security home automation devices. At launch, these will include Phillips Hue connected light bulbs, the Nest thermostat and Kwikset door locks. Swann itself is also expanding beyond its bread and butter of CCTV systems to manufacture new kinds of security sensors.

The service will be priced at about US$10 per month for a basic residential monitoring service covering up to four homes. Add-on monthly subscriptions include fire alarm monitoring for $3.50 and gunshot detection for $1.50. Swann also plans to sell an enterprise subscription covering up to 30 locations.

Swann saw embracing the Internet of Things as critical to keeping its business relevant in the future, Swann CTO Geoff Wanless said at a Sydney lunch hosted by Zuora, the vendor providing the billing and finance platform underpinning the subscription service.

If we did not act, someone else would be eating our lunch in two or three years time, said Wanless. In some ways we were forced to act.

Rather than merely peddle security equipment, Swann wants to sell peace of mind as a service, he said.

The smart home market is an increasingly crowded space with many big names in the mix. Apple announced HomeKit earlier this year as a major new feature of iOS 8. The software adds the ability to control smart light bulbs and a variety of other connected gadgets in the home.

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Swann transforms business from security to connected home