Hive has announced HomeShield, a subscription offering designed to tie together your Hive devices to make a custom security system for your home.
Rather than include all the hardware you'll need, HomeShield depends on you having that hardware in place already - or planning to expand it in the future. What HomeShield really supplies is an umbrella service that ties everything together, so all your devices work in cohesion as a system, rather than a collection of individual devices.
HomeShield will offer three modes - home, away and sleep - so you can easily set the system to respond the way you want it to, with each available to be customised. You'll get notifications on your phone, via the Hive app, SMS or phone call, so you can be alerted to anything untoward happening.
The system will let you use existing Hive indoor or outdoor cameras, sensors, or the new Hive Siren and Keypad in one system, so rather than having to go through and enable each different component, you can do it all in one place, with one interface to see what's been happening.
The other thing you're getting for your money is additional online storage. While Hive cameras offer 24 hours of online storage as standard (and with no additional cost), HomeShield gives you 30 days access for one camera in the cost, so if something happens, you have time to look through the video, download and save what you need.
The system is designed to accommodate the whole family, with the Keypad allowing the option to arm or disarm the system with ease, while it can also be controlled via Alexa and Google Assistant. The new Siren will provide a visible and audible deterrent on the outside of your like a traditional alarm.
HomeShield costs £9.99 a month, but you'll have to pay more for the hardware like cameras and sensors that you want to include - and it's worth noting that the cost only gets you the 1 month of online storage for one camera, it rises to £11.99 for two cameras and £15.99 for three cameras.
The system - and all the hardware - is available now.