Nest Announces Cam IQ, a $299 4K Smart Home Camera With Facial Recognition - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Nest Announces Cam IQ, a $299 4K Smart Home Camera With Facial Recognition

by

Nest unveiled a new smart security camera today called the Nest Cam IQ, an indoor 4K device capable of increasing footage resolution when it detects unusual or suspicious activity in the home.

Using built-in smart capabilities powered by Google's AI for facial recognition, the Nest Cam IQ is able to identify a person in its visual range, which automatically triggers a notification alert that includes a zoomed-in photo of the figure.

Screen Shot 7
A variation on the same feature called "Supersight" appears in the mobile app feed, as a zoomed picture-in-picture inset of any figures identified in the camera's field of view. The Nest Cam IQ also tracks the subject as it moves and provides a close-up of the face to make it easier to spot identifying features.

Additional smart features are in store for Nest owners who sign up to a Nest Aware subscription, such as the ability to identify and remember family members and trusted familiar faces, as well as the ability to recognize specific audio cues like conversations and barking dogs.

Elsewhere, the Nest Cam IQ comes with a weighted base and tilting head, invisible infrared LED emitters, high-powered speakers, and a three-microphone array for improved background noise suppression and echo cancelation.

The Nest Cam IQ costs $299 in the U.S. and can be pre-ordered today on the company's website, which also sells the Nest Cam and Nest Cam Outdoor. Shipping is expected to start at the end of June.

Tags: Nest, Security

Top Rated Comments

121 months ago
The article states the subscription is additional for other features who sign up for a 'Nest Aware Subscription.' Rather it requires a subscription in general is another factor.

"Additional smart features are in store for Nest owners who sign up to a Nest Aware subscription, such as The ability to identify and remember family members and trust in their faces, as well as the Billy to recognize specific audio cues like conversations and barking dogs. "
Yeah I did research it enough to see that I could go without. Problem is that I would always feel that I wasn't getting the best out of it, without. I found the pricing though and I am too mean to pay that much each year, every year. Especially if they then decide to do an Apple / Adobe and up subscription prices due to currency fluctuation type excuses.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
121 months ago
Primarily because they were just usually manufacturing thermostats along side Ecobee. Now they are venturing on the path of cameras and other products that the company has expanded upon. I think they're trying to finally size up to the rest of the competition and other products available on the market. Like you said, their services are not cheap.
It's Google. They need to make sure the products they put out collect the right type of customer information for their marketing and profits.

This new Nest allows them to work on AI facial identification. It allows them to build a database of faces which it can then link to people and profiles, allowing even more informed profiles for AdWords and other marketing opportunities where Google makes money.

It's amazing but Google is actually getting people to pay for a hardware device, then a subscription, in order to give Google more information to turn around and make more money. It's a brilliant business they run.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sandstorm Avatar
121 months ago
I was interested, right up until I saw the subscription part. No thanks.
Yes, the subscription is optional, but it without it the Nest cameras are almost useless. I'd be fine paying some reasonable amount (for example, ideal solution would be if I could simply allocate some portion of my paid Google Drive space), but the Nest subscription is just too expensive. And on top of that - it's not even available in most of the world, only select countries!

The other thing I don't understand is why are Nest so slow with more smart home products (like video doorbells, locks, motion sensors etc).
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
121 months ago
CCTV with DVR nowadays allows Live stream and playback FREE, Comelit are very competively priced and very good. iOS app
Comelit View S by Comelit Group S.p.a.
https://appsto.re/gb/LA6bab.i (UK)

I think I worked out one Nest camera on 24 / 7 uses about 300GB a month surely this will effect users on the home network, slowing it down.

Plus the subcription cost as previously mentioned, for playback.

edit
its upto 380GB a month https://nest.com/uk/support/article/How-much-bandwidth-will-Nest-Cam-use

I'll pass, great thermostats and Nest Protect though.
I have Thermostat, very happy too. The protects are great too.

If this device allowed you to save locally to say a NAS, and or, use another third party storage service then I would purchase one. However, being forced for the subscriptions, no thanks.

It's a shame really, as I would really like to get some of these and use them in conjunction with my Synology.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
121 months ago
I was interested, right up until I saw the subscription part. No thanks.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
121 months ago
No HomeKit = no buy

For now living with the FLIR 4K and hoping they actually adopt HomeKit like they said they would. Quite happy with it too. Good quality. Zooming good. Lag is reasonable.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event that it will be releasing iOS 27 sometime today – Monday, September 14. iOS 27 won't be the only release today,...
deep black iphone 18 pro

Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Sold in U.S. Differs in One Way

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:27 pm PDT by
As noted by Nicolas Lellouche, who writes for the French tech website Numerama, Apple has updated its tech specs pages for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to clarify which models are equipped with its new C2 cellular modem and where. Apple now says the iPhone 18 Pro has a C2 modem worldwide, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses the chip in every country except for the U.S. According...
iphone duo

IMAX Reacts to iPhone Duo's 1:1.4 Aspect Ratio Displays

Friday September 11, 2026 4:42 am PDT by
Production theater company IMAX has responded in a mixed way to Apple's embrace of a 1:1.4 aspect ratio on the iPhone Duo's inner and outer displays. The boxier ratio happens to be very close to the classic "full-frame" IMAX 1.43:1 aspect ratio, which comes from the geometry of the company's original 15-perforation/70mm film system. In response to an X post from someone wondering if we'll see...