Canary’s $99 (£75 and AU$125 converted) View security system was inspired by the startup’s original $169 All-in-One camera, but instead of replacing the All-in-One, Canary now sells both. In order to distinguish between the two largely identical-looking systems, the View is more affordable, in theory letting more people buy into Canary’s DIY home security universe, but at the expense of advanced features like temperature and humidity sensors, a siren or an Ethernet port.
Although the View is minimal by comparison, it offers some surprising free options like person alerts and auto-arming/disarming tied to your phone’s location. It also works with Alexa and Google Assistant, as well as Wink. Weirdly, though, Canary charges for things you usually get for free, like two-way audio and access to a web app.
The View works fine as a camera, but it at least needs a siren to count as a full-fledged all-in-one security system. I’m also truly confused that Canary is charging for two-way audio. Get the View if you want a decent, affordable security camera, but don’t expect a self-contained security device here.
