The Arlo Video Doorbell captures footage in a square aspect ratio to allow users to fully view packages on the ground, or visitors from head and to toe.

Smart home security devices have become very popular over the past few years with video doorbells leading the charge. Arlo makes a variety of smart home security cameras and now its Arlo Video Doorbell jumps into the fray. With competition from the likes of Ring and Nest Arlo has its work cut out for it.

That being said, the Arlo Video Doorbell looks like a very nice device indeed. The company says its doorbell is designed to capture what traditional video doorbells can’t. Arlo says its device boasts an industry-leading vertical field-of-view, allowing users to get a bigger, more precise picture of their front porch.

The Arlo Video Doorbell captures footage in a square aspect ratio to allow users to fully view packages on the ground, or visitors from head and to toe. Like its competitors, it also offers HD resolution along with two-way communication allowing for simultaneous talking.

Unlike conventional doorbell cameras, the Arlo Video Doorbell delivers direct-to-mobile video calls and personalized alerts when packages, people, vehicles, or animals are detected, allowing for users to quickly reply or take action. The Arlo Video Doorbell connects to an existing mechanical or digital chime for simple installation and continuous power.

The Arlo Video Doorbell features an extra-wide, 180-degree diagonal field-of-view to ensure important details never go unseen. By delivering footage in a mobile-friendly, 1:1 format, users receive a more complete view of their front door. The Arlo Video Doorbell is also ideal for connecting with visitors in real-time from any location. Traditionally, video doorbells require multiple steps to view and respond once receiving a notification, causing delays where a user could easily miss their visitor. To solve this problem, the Arlo Video Doorbell sends a live, HD video call right to the user’s smartphone once the doorbell is pressed. This allows users to simply answer the video call for a fast, near real-time response via two-way audio, or to respond with pre-recorded, quick-reply messages.

“We engineered the Arlo Video Doorbell with an array of advanced alert and picture quality features to help homeowners identify and engage with visitors even before they knock,” said Tejas Shah, SVP product and chief information officer. “To ensure a visitor is never missed, we went above and beyond industry standards to create an innovative solution that delivers a fuller vertical field-of-view so users can see more from their front door, from head to toe.”

Some of the features and specifications include:

• Optimized front entry view – industry-leading vertical field-of-view with an optimized 1:1 aspect ratio
• Motion detection and alerts – receive alerts when motion is detected
• Video call – calls your phone directly so you never miss a visitor
• Quick reply messages – pre-recorded messages to quickly reply to visitors
• Night vision – see who’s at your door at night, even without a light on
• HD video – capture vivid detail in bright and dark areas with HDR
• Zoom – zoom in on a subject while on a live video call
• Silent mode – disables push notifications and silences chime
• Weather-resistant design – designed to withstand heat, cold, rain or sun
• Tamper detection – siren can be triggered if someone attempts to remove the doorbell

Arlo also has a cloud-based AI service called Arlo Smart that keeps your recordings. With the purchase of the Arlo Video Doorbell, users will receive a complimentary three-month trial to Arlo’s AI subscription-based service, Arlo Smart, where they will have access to rolling 30-days of cloud recordings to store and view video clips. In addition, users will be able to customize their experience by adjusting notification settings to spot people, vehicles, animals or packages. Pricing for Arlo Smart ranges from US$2.99 a month to US$14.99 a month. Check out their site for more info.