New Tapo/TP-Link HomeKit Cameras Due?

Update: Thanks to our friends over at Smartapfel.de, who discovered these cameras at IFA 2023, we can confirm that both cameras listed below will be HomeKit compatible (see images at the end of this article).

Thanks to a discovery by smart home enthusiast Adam Miarka, it would appear TP-Link is planning HomeKit compatibility for its C125 Smart Camera, which, whilst listed on the company’s website, doesn’t yet seem to be available for purchase.

Even though this wouldn’t be the first HomeKit-compatible device from either Tapo or TP-Link, considering their recent Matter and HomeKit smart plugs, this would be the first of their cameras to come with HomeKit integration options.

Despite the listing for the camera only mentioning Amazon and Google compatibility, a downloadable manual available via the FCC ID website states HomeKit integration within its pages.

The Tapo C125 offers several essential security features. Its Physical Privacy Shutter ensures privacy is maintained by blocking the camera’s lens when enabled. The Smart AI Detection and Notification system is capable of identifying people, pets, and abnormal sounds, providing timely notifications as necessary. Not all of these features are exposed to HomeKit, however, as is also the case with Eufy cameras compatible with Apple HomeKit. The camera comes with a magnetic base and flexible bracket, allowing for versatile placement. Additionally, the dual-IR system comes with 940nm IR LEDs, for night vision. You can also customise sound alarms that trigger recorded audio when motion is detected.

It is worth taking a step back when it comes to the C125 and HomeKit, however, as the company’s own Tapo C225 smart camera, which is also listed with no apparent HomeKit compatibility, has mention of HomeKit/Apple Home in a separate FAQ page.

Whatever transpires, gone are the days when Apple Home users are starved of choices for decent HomeKit cameras, so it may not matter, although the price point – whatever that may be – could be a positive selling point. With the Aqara Camera E1 and alleged second-generation Eve Indoor Cam both on the horizon, it’s becoming harder for additional cameras to stand out.

Thanks to Adam Miarka for the tip-off