CES 2021: Arlo Highlights Touchless Video Doorbell and Essential Indoor Camera, Adds HomeKit to Wired Doorbell - MacRumors
Skip to Content

CES 2021: Arlo Highlights Touchless Video Doorbell and Essential Indoor Camera, Adds HomeKit to Wired Doorbell

Home security company Arlo highlighted two upcoming products at CES this year, both of which received Smart Home awards at the event. The Essential Indoor camera and the Touchless Video Doorbell are both new product offerings that will be released in the coming months.

arlo video doorbell
The Essential Indoor camera is designed to let families choose when the camera monitors and records video through a "disarm mode." In disarm mode, recording, motion, and audio detection is disabled and won't be re-enabled until manually done through the Arlo app. Video recording resumes when the camera is placed into arm mode.

arlo camera ces
The Touchless Video Doorbell is a new entry in Arlo's camera-equipped doorbell lineup. It uses Proximity Sensing Technology to gauge a visitor's distance, and when it sees someone approaching, it gives off an audible chime and lights up to let guests know that the doorbell has been virtually "pressed" and that the homeowner has been alerted.

Arlo says that it designed the Touchless Video Doorbell to allow for interaction with limited communal contact, while also keeping the homeowner's front entry secured. Additional details on the Essential Indoor Camera and Touchless Video Doorbell will be provided closer to their launch date, which has yet to be shared.

Along with these announcements, Arlo today appears to have quietly added HomeKit support to the Essential Video Doorbell Wired, based on an updated support document.

The support page lists the Essential Video Doorbell Wired as a HomeKit-compatible device alongside the Arlo Ultra, Pro 3, Pro 3 Floodlight Camera, Pro 2, and more. Enabling ‌HomeKit‌ compatibility requires an Arlo SmartHub or base station with the latest firmware, with Arlo providing instructions on adding ‌HomeKit‌ connectivity.

Tags: Arlo, CES 2021

Popular Stories

Apple HomeView lineup feature1

Apple Announces 'HomeView' Smart Home Hub

Tuesday October 13, 2026 6:00 am PDT by
Apple today announced the "HomeView," an all-new kind of smart home hub featuring a 7-inch Liquid Retina display and Siri AI. Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing Greg Joswiak said: Apple HomeView is designed to be shared by everyone in the home yet feel completely personal to each user. It recognizes your face to shift from a household screen to your own experience,...
Apple TV 4K 4th Generation feature4

New Apple TV 4K Announced With A19 Chip, Updated Siri Remote, More

Tuesday October 13, 2026 6:08 am PDT by
Apple today announced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, with key features including an A19 chip, Siri AI support, an updated Siri Remote that has Find My support with Precision Finding, built in far-field microphones, support for surround sound with four HomePods in front and rear pairs, and more. The A19 chip in the new Apple TV 4K delivers up to 50% faster CPU performance and up to twice...
iOS 26 Home Feature

RIP, homeOS

Tuesday October 13, 2026 9:39 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to reveal the name "HomeView" last week, after discovering a trademark filing from a secretive shell company that we correctly suspected was linked to Apple. Apple was likely behind a "homeOS" trademark filing as well, but the company ultimately decided to stick with generic "HomeView software" naming, just like it refers to the HomePod's operating system as "HomePod...

Top Rated Comments

75 months ago
I have Arlo products.They are absolute rubbish.. just Google them.. Rubbish Hardware, Rubbish architecture, rubbish platform. Rubbish solution.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
75 months ago

Just HomeKit from what I'm seeing. Arlo would *never* give up an opportunity to charge you a monthly subscription fee!

Arlo Ultra vs Logitech Circle, in homekit, there is no comparison - event recording, notifications, and time to load a video stream with Logitech is WAY better. Often times Arlo doorbell would ring, it would take 20 seconds to connect, by that time the person was gone or door was already answered.

Arlo is merely adding low hanging features they should've had for years as a publicity stunt at CES.
Yeah - unfortunately Logitech decided to not sell the circle doorbell in Canada.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brien Avatar
75 months ago

Just HomeKit from what I'm seeing. Arlo would *never* give up an opportunity to charge you a monthly subscription fee!

Arlo Ultra vs Logitech Circle, in homekit, there is no comparison - event recording, notifications, and time to load a video stream with Logitech is WAY better. Often times Arlo doorbell would ring, it would take 20 seconds to connect, by that time the person was gone or door was already answered.

Arlo is merely adding low hanging features they should've had for years as a publicity stunt at CES.
I guess this is why there are only two that support HSV. They don't get that sweet sweet subscription money.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
75 months ago
I have a ton of Arlo cameras, and if I wasn’t already invested AND grandfathered into their 10 camera plan I’d drop them (I have 2 Arlo Pro 2 and 8 Arlo Pro cameras). They significantly raised their prices while cutting # of supported cameras in the plans.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
purpleparrotuk Avatar
75 months ago
What’s the point of the touch free one. Isn’t it going to keep sending alerts and chime when a leaflet person puts something through your door. Not everyone who comes to your house needs to speak with the owner. Seems silly.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
75 months ago

So many companies with their €200 doorbell button with a camera on it. I already have a HomeKit camera covering the front of my house and a camera on my doorbell would have a bad view and interfere with my neighbours privacy.

Why has not one company just done a doorbell button with maybe some chime boxes for inside the house, chime boxes wich also monitor temperature and air quality? Can that not be done? Hope someone makes money from my idea 😂
They do, it's called the Arlo Audio Doorbell.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Store Down Ahead of iPhone Duo Pre-Orders
Apple Store Down Ahead of iPhone Duo Pre-Orders
11 minutes ago
Oops, Apple's Website Just Hinted at iPad Mini 8
Oops, Apple's Website Just Hinted at iPad Mini 8
9 hours ago
OLED MacBook Pro Won't Get M7 Chips Until Late 2027
OLED MacBook Pro Won't Get M7 Chips Until Late 2027
12 hours ago
Apple Pledged $25 Million to Trump's White House Ballroom
Apple Pledged $25 Million to Trump's White House Ballroom
13 hours ago
Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Launch on November 6
Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Launch on November 6
15 hours ago
New Withings Users Must Pay $99/Year for Apple Health Syncing
New Withings Users Must Pay $99/Year for Apple Health Syncing
15 hours ago
Meta and Apple Bring Muse Spark Open AI Model to Mac Studio
Meta and Apple Bring Muse Spark Open AI Model to Mac Studio
16 hours ago
iPad Mini 8: Apple Has Tested Both 60Hz and 120Hz ProMotion Displays
iPad Mini 8: Apple Has Tested Both 60Hz and 120Hz ProMotion Displays
16 hours ago
Apple TV 4K 2022 vs. 2026 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared
Apple TV 4K 2022 vs. 2026 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared
18 hours ago
Apple CEO John Ternus on Early Foldables: 'Kind of Cheap and Crappy'
Apple CEO John Ternus on Early Foldables: 'Kind of Cheap and Crappy'
18 hours ago
Greg Joswiak Says Apple Isn't Focused on Making AI for 'Lunatic Fringe'
Greg Joswiak Says Apple Isn't Focused on Making AI for 'Lunatic Fringe'
19 hours ago
Amazon Offers $120 Discount on AirPods Max 2, $50 Off AirPods Pro 3
Amazon Offers $120 Discount on AirPods Max 2, $50 Off AirPods Pro 3
20 hours ago
Apple CEO John Ternus Featured on Cover of TIME Magazine: 'New Era'
Apple CEO John Ternus Featured on Cover of TIME Magazine: 'New Era'
20 hours ago
Apple Announces Deadline to 'Get Ready' to Pre-Order the iPhone Duo
Apple Announces Deadline to 'Get Ready' to Pre-Order the iPhone Duo
21 hours ago
MKBHD is 'Not Convinced' About Apple's New HomeView, Here's Why
MKBHD is 'Not Convinced' About Apple's New HomeView, Here's Why
21 hours ago
Apple's Wall-Mounted HomeView Ships Without a Power Adapter
Apple's Wall-Mounted HomeView Ships Without a Power Adapter
21 hours ago
Rare Apple-1 With Steve Jobs Letter Sells for $1.15 Million
Rare Apple-1 With Steve Jobs Letter Sells for $1.15 Million
22 hours ago
Apple Now Inviting Media to October 28 'Launch Experience'
Apple Now Inviting Media to October 28 'Launch Experience'
22 hours ago
iPhone Duo's A20 Pro Chip Benchmarked Ahead of Launch
iPhone Duo's A20 Pro Chip Benchmarked Ahead of Launch
1 day ago
10 HomeView Features You Might Have Missed
10 HomeView Features You Might Have Missed
1 day ago
Apple Becomes Second Company to Close Above $5 Trillion
Apple Becomes Second Company to Close Above $5 Trillion
1 day ago
Which Apple Home Devices Get Siri AI, and When
Which Apple Home Devices Get Siri AI, and When
2 days ago
Apple's Long-Delayed HomeView Was Already Being Tested in 2024
Apple's Long-Delayed HomeView Was Already Being Tested in 2024
2 days ago
Apple Intelligence Coming to China in December With iOS 27.3
Apple Intelligence Coming to China in December With iOS 27.3
2 days ago
Apple Invites App Updated With Two New Features
Apple Invites App Updated With Two New Features
2 days ago
OpenAI Says Ex-Employee Showed Its Device Plans to Apple
OpenAI Says Ex-Employee Showed Its Device Plans to Apple
2 days ago
Discover the Best Cases and Screen Protectors for Your New iPhone Duo
Discover the Best Cases and Screen Protectors for Your New iPhone Duo
2 days ago
Apple Store Near Los Angeles Closed Due to 'Events Beyond Our Control'
Apple Store Near Los Angeles Closed Due to 'Events Beyond Our Control'
2 days ago
No, HomePod Mini 1 Won't Support Siri AI as CNET Reported
No, HomePod Mini 1 Won't Support Siri AI as CNET Reported
2 days ago
iPhone Duo Compromises: Everything You Have to Give Up
iPhone Duo Compromises: Everything You Have to Give Up
2 days ago