SimpliSafe is already a big name in the smart home security industry, but its design has become dated, sticking out like a sore thumb among modern devices. That’s why the company teamed up with global design firm Ideo to completely redesign its security system. Revealed today at CES, the new lineup is beautiful, powerful, and intuitive.
Known for its work with Apple, Coca-Cola, and more, IDEO has cleaned up each SimpliSafe sensor. Each one is smaller, more responsive, and designed to blend into a modern home. At half the size and with twice the range of their predecessors, sensors can be used more sparingly within the home. Even the larger base station has been given a new look to fit in with other devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Home. It’s LED light ring provides users with the system’s status at a glance,while a friendly voice guides users through installations and daily use.
SimpliSafe’s redesign goes much deeper than cosmetic changes. The system has been rebuilt from the ground up to protect against intruders, power and internet outages, crowbars, and more. Everything runs off of twin cellular and Wi-Fi connections running in parallel. If the home phone line or Wi-Fi is disabled, the home can still be monitored. A battery backup in the base station will also keep things running up to 24 hours during a power outage. When an alarm is tripped, SimpliSafe’s SmashSafe technology makes sure the alarm signal reaches the authorities even if the base station, siren, or keypad are destroyed.
For protection inside the home, the Glassbreak and Motion sensors have been finely tuned with precise algorithms. For instance, the Glassbreak sensor is claimed to be able to differentiate between a smashed plate and a broken window. Motion sensors are also tuned to detect people and ignore household pets. When in doubt, users will get an alert that they can review before taking action.
The new SimpliSafe system is available through its website at no increase in price. Ready-made kits range from The Foundation at $229 to The Knox at $539. Custom systems can also be created to fit more unique homes. Later this year, SimpliSafe also plans to release a video doorbell, outdoor cameras, and smart lock, and integrations with Alexa. With all the unsettling reports people hear on the news, there is a lot of interest in making a home feel safer. And SimpliSafe has repositioned itself to help them do just that.
