Code strings found inside Apple's HomeView software point to a possible Secure Video feature for the smart home device, according to The Verge. The discovery suggests Apple could release the capability soon, though the company has not confirmed any such plans.
As described in the code, the feature would limit camera feeds so that only members of the home can view them. The system would signal when the camera is being watched or when it begins recording, both with an indicator light and an audible sound.
Household members would also receive a notification whenever the settings for Secure Video mode are changed. In addition, the feature would offer customizable options for what the camera detects, streams, or records, with those choices depending on whether residents are home, away, or asleep.
The strings leave open the question of why Apple did not let HomeView serve as a security camera when the product launched. Apple has said nothing publicly to indicate the features are on the way.
Privacy has been a central theme in Apple's marketing, and the report suggests the company may be holding back in order to fine-tune the capabilities before making them available. That would fit with the emphasis Apple places on how its products handle user data.
For US consumers, the report is a signal that Apple may be preparing to compete more directly in the home security camera market, where privacy safeguards have become a selling point. The details come from code rather than from Apple, and the company has not announced a release.
Apple has not commented on the findings. Readers should treat the feature set as unconfirmed until the company makes an official announcement.
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