Verizon Pushing Google Home, Connected Webcams in Marketing Email to Customers

Verizon Wireless pitched subscribers in a Monday email to check out smart home accessories from Verizon, giving Google Home, Nest’s Thermostat and Philips Hue lights top billing. Customers clicking through on the advertisement found a Canary ($199) connected webcam and the upcoming Arlo Pro, billed as the "first completely wire-free, weatherproof, rechargeable HD smart security camera with audio and 130° viewing angle." The Arlo Pro, with two-way chat, operates over Verizon’s 4G LTE network. Users can get camera notifications and have a two-way conversation from their phone via the camera’s speaker and mic. Videos can be stored in the cloud, but on Arlo’s, not Verizon's, a Verizon chat specialist told us. Pricing plans on the Arlo website show seven days of storage as free; 30 days of cloud recordings up to 10 GB for up to 10 cameras is $10 per month, or $99 per year; and 60 days of recordings up to 100 GB for up to 15 cameras is $15 per month, $149 per year. Users also can connect a USB drive to the Arlo Pro base station for optional local backup. Users can sound a 100-decibel siren remotely when triggered by motion or audio, said the company. Prices start at $249. Best Buy is selling a four-pack of Arlo Pro cameras for $649. Featured smart home brands on the Verizon website are Belkin, Canary, MyQ, Kevo, Nest, Philips, Sengled and Tile.