The lens in Wyze’s new $40 indoor camera retracts for privacy

Wyze has introduced a new indoor security camera, the Indoor Cam Pan, which is now available for purchase at $39.98. The device is designed for pan-and-tilt functionality, allowing the entire unit to rotate 360 degrees while the camera and lens can tilt up and down 103 degrees. A key feature is its privacy mode: the lens can tilt downward until it retracts fully into the camera body, rendering it unable to capture any activity in the home.

The new model is priced below Wyze’s existing Cam Pan v3, which sells for $44.98 and remains on the company’s website. That older version offers a wider 180-degree tilt range and carries an IP65 water resistance rating, making it suitable for outdoor placement, but it records video only at 1080p resolution. The Indoor Cam Pan improves on that with 2K video capture, though it falls short of the higher-end Wyze Cam Pan v4, which costs $59.98 and supports 4K recording.

Wyze markets the Indoor Cam Pan’s motor as its quietest and smoothest yet, according to the company. The camera includes AI-powered motion tracking that can be configured to ignore certain objects, such as robot vacuums moving through a room, as well as people or pets that fall outside user-defined detection zones. For low-light environments, the camera relies on night vision and infrared LEDs, but its recording frame rate drops from 20 frames per second to 15 frames per second under those conditions.

Storage options include a microSD card slot that supports cards up to 512GB for local recording. The device also features a built-in speaker and microphone, enabling two-way audio, and can emit a 95-decibel alarm. Users can talk to pets remotely while away from home. The Indoor Cam Pan is compatible with Wyze’s Cam Plus and Cam Unlimited subscription services, which add AI-driven alerts that provide descriptions of detected events.

The camera is available starting today through Wyze’s online store for US consumers. It is positioned as an affordable option for indoor monitoring, with the retractable lens offering a physical privacy safeguard that distinguishes it from Wyze’s other camera models. The product’s pricing and feature set place it between the company’s budget and premium offerings, giving buyers a mid-range choice for home surveillance.

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