Annke bowed 4K power-over-ethernet network video recorders with 32 megapixels in eight-, 16- and 64-channel versions, it said Friday. The 30-frame-per-second devices are said to record smooth videos without latency. They're compatible with camera features including fisheye, people counting, automatic number plate recognition and motion detection alerts. The company is taking preorders for the NVRs, which start at $329.

Hopping onto the work-at-home trend, Facebook is pitching its portable video calling devices as videoconferencing tools. The company announced support Tuesday for Microsoft Teams, planned for December, for its Portal touch-based instruments. The company is creating a new account type, Portal for Business, with built-in Microsoft security, for small-to midsize businesses that will be available for Facebook work products over the coming year, it said. The service is in closed beta. Portal for Business also supports Zoom, Webex, GoToMeeting, BlueJeans and Workplace, it said. Facebook also announced Tuesday it's taking preorders for two new Portal video calling devices with an Oct. 19 ship date. A portable model, the 10-inch Portal Go ($199), has a 12-megapixel camera with ultrawide field of view and a speaker. Portal+, with a 14-inch HD tilting display ($349) also has a 12-megapixel ultrawide angle camera; it adds stereo speakers. Facebook referenced iHeartRadio, Pandora and Spotify as streaming music service options. Users can view Facebook and Instagram photos from a smartphone camera roll and share them with friends and family via shared albums on the smart displays, it said.

Four in 10 consumers who bought security cameras or systems or smart doorbells at retail chose to pay for a subscription to access premium features, said a Monday NPD report based on a survey of 5,000 U.S. adults fielded March 17-31. Of the consumers who subscribe to these services, 29% reported that 24/7 continuous video recording is the most compelling feature; 16% cited access to an extended history of video clips. “Monetizing beyond hardware sales is important for manufacturers, especially as smaller tier brands gain traction in the marketplace and pressure leading brands to rethink their product and pricing strategies,” said analyst Jill Aldort. Consumers who buy service plans after buying the devices in stores are more likely to be younger than 35 with household income over $100,000, have young children and live in multiunit dwellings or townhomes; 41% owned five or more different types of smart home devices, it said. Unit sales of these security products are expected to grow about 20% through 2023, it said.

Security and peace of mind are driving an increase in video camera and doorbell sales, Parks Associates reported Thursday. The research firm estimates more than 250 million networked cameras, video doorbells and smart speakers/smart displays will be sold in the U.S. 2022-2024. “Consumers are increasingly turning to networked cameras and video doorbells to provide the sense of security and peace of mind traditionally provided by full-fledged security systems,” said analyst Chris White, citing Parks data saying a third of network camera owners report relying on their devices more heavily due to the COVID-19 pandemic: “Consumers want the often difficult combination of peace of mind, privacy, and convenience with monitoring and independent living solutions." Parks sees opportunities for revenue growth in monitoring, maintenance and upgrades.

Haier’s GE Appliances (GEA) signed a multiyear partnership with Google Cloud to “elevate the consumer experience” in the kitchen. It will integrate AI and machine learning into its appliance development process, said the company Thursday. GEA will benefit from Google Cloud’s integration with other Google platforms and technologies such as Android and Google Assistant, it said. As a result of the partnership, appliance owners will get personalized features, insights and energy-saving recommendations. The platform will help commercial customers manage fleets of appliances, decrease unplanned downtime and extend product life, it said.

Alarm.com introduced Ambient Insights, which recognizes activity around a property and delivers contextual information when an alarm engages. Monitoring stations can use the real-time data to prioritize alarms and dispatch first responders accordingly, said the company Monday. Alarm.com has long applied machine intelligence to generate contextually aware insights proactively for property owners, said Chief Product Officer Dan Kerzner. Ambient Insights is the next step in a multiyear vision to use AI and adaptive machine learning to “define the next generation of smart monitored security" and cut down on false dispatches, he said.

Elliptic Labs certified the operation of its AI Virtual Smart Sensor platform with Maxim Integrated Products’ MAX98396 smart audio amplifier, the companies said Tuesday. The firms are targeting smart TVs, smart speakers and laptops to provide security through automated screen locking, presence detection and 3D touchless gesture sensing on Maxim Integrated’s audio amplifier technology. Elliptic Labs’ platform uses a device’s existing mic and speaker to generate and translate ultrasound tones into virtual sensors for presence and touchless gesture detection, it said.

Eton began shipping a Wi-Fi-connected carbon monoxide and natural gas detector, it said Friday. The $129 device, with an integrated nightlight and flashlight, plugs into a wall outlet. When dangerous conditions are detected, it blasts an alarm and sends push notifications to a smartphone via the Eton app, said the company.

The residential interactive security market grew 9.3% in 2020 to 15.6 million subscribers despite installers’ limited access to homes during the pandemic, reported Strategy Analytics Tuesday. ADT (3.2 million) and Vivint (1.7 million) led, followed by Comcast, which declined 7.5% to under 1.3 million subs “due to attrition caused by competitive pressures,” SA said. Comcast didn't comment. Lockdowns “severely limited installer access to homes," but ADT’s and Vivint’s vast field service teams helped them "not just recover but achieve record high interactive security subscriber totals,” said SA analyst Jack Narcotta. Self-installed systems from Frontpoint, Brinks and SimpliSafe continued their momentum, he said. The U.S. interactive security market is driven by smaller regional and local providers, said the researcher. More than 10,000 dealers install Alarm.com’s platform, which had more than 7.6 million subs, up from 6.8 million in 2019. The competitive landscape in residential security is “in flux with Amazon and Google partnering with security providers to penetrate the market,” said analyst Bill Ablondi. ADT is installing Nest devices and will transition from Alarm.com to a new platform developed in collaboration with Google by 2023, he noted, while Amazon’s Alexa-powered Guard Plus is being bundled with security offerings from Abode, Resideo, Scout Alarm and Wyze.

LG smart appliance owners can now reorder laundry detergent, water filters and other consumables by linking their Amazon account in the LG ThinQ app, said the company Thursday. LG’s 2020 and 2021 Wi-Fi-enabled dishwashers, washing machines, dryers and refrigerators can signal Amazon when supplies are running low, LG said. After appliances are connected to the ThinQ app, users receive notifications when refrigerator water filters need replacement based on average usage period, it said. Customers can also access the app's accessory store to shop for replacement filters and parts.