Xiaomi has launched the Smart 4G Camera 3, a pan-tilt home security camera that runs on built-in China Telecom and China Unicom SIM cards instead of Wi-Fi. It records at 2880×1620 (3K) through a 5MP f/1.6 lens, rotates 360° horizontally and 109° vertically, and includes free 4G data for use in the Mijia app.
Xiaomi has come out with the Smart 4G Camera 3, a home security camera which uses built-in cellular SIM card connectivity rather than Wi-Fi. The camera will be available for sale on Xiaomi Mall and Xiaomi Youpin in China, and the crowdfunding campaign will launch on November 4. The suggested retail price is ¥269 (approx $40), the crowdfunding price is ¥199 (approx $29).
There are 2 pre-loaded SIM cards, one from China Telecom and one from China Unicom and the camera will automatically switch between them to keep it connected to the strongest network signal. Xiaomi includes free 4G data with no speed limit, no data cap and no top-up fees. The data will only be usable in the Mijia app, and will not be transferred to another device. Xiaomi hasn’t announced a duration for the free data offer.
The camera captures 2880×1620 images, or 3K as Xiaomi has dubbed it, at 5MP through an f/1.6 aperture. A high sensitivity image sensor allows full-color images to be captured in extremely low light conditions, and multiple 940nm infrared lights replace the red light for night shots without emitting any visible light.
The dual-motor gimbal swivel the lens 360° horizontally and 109° vertically. Five AI detection modes – home, child and pet monitoring – send push alerts to the owner’s phone when activity is detected. Xiaomi didn’t individually mention the five modes. Two-way audio allows the user to talk with others or animals that are visible.
Xiaomi’s AOR recording system continues to record footage 24 hours a day, but in different ways when moving and static shots are captured, discarding the idle footage to save up space on the microSD memory card. The camera also has the function of time lapse photography. The live feed is compatible with phones, tablets and Xiaomi TVs, which can be shared with other family members; the camera is also compatible with other Xiaomi devices via Xiaomi HyperConnect.
The Smart 4G Camera 3 differs from the another model, Xiaomi Smart Camera 3 3K, which was introduced in China in January. This previous system uses dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz), and boasts a slightly higher resolution of 2960×1668. It does, however, have the newer camera’s ability to rotate 360° and tilt 109° as well as support human detection, microSD and network storage and even cloud backup.
