Some Apple Intelligence for Home features require a 2TB iCloud+ subscription

The OS 27 updates (iOS, macOS, iPadOS, etc) offers some really nice AI-powered updates for the Home app. Almost all of them center around video with cameras that support HomeKit Secure Video. The good news is, these features really elevate the experience of using these cameras, where was falling far behind competitors. The bad news is, it’s going to cost you: You need the 2TB paid iCloud+ plan to use them.

Apple revealed the requirement in the release notes for developers for macOS 27 beta 3, though it applies to using the AI features with iOS or iPadOS as well. If you enable Apple Intelligence in the Home app, you need a 2TB iCloud+ subscription.

Apple

The new AI features for Home include the ability to combine activity from multiple cameras into a single action. If a person or event is captured by more than one camera, it can be combined into a single described event, with one continuous video to scrub through. Camera activity is analyzed and given plain language descriptions, and multiple similar notifications for the same event, even across multiple devices, are combined into a single updating notification. That should really help cut down on Home notification spam for those with lots of supported devices.

In addition to the AI features, the update to OS 27 allows HomeKit Secure Video cameras to record up to 4K. The previous limit was 1080p, so this is a big upgrade. Apple is rumored to be working on its own security camera and video doorbell, which could arrive as early as this fall.

We should note that you have always needed an iCloud+ subscription in order to use HomeKit Secure Video. Apple requires the base 50GB ($0.99 per month) plan to add a single security camera. If you have the 200GB ($2.99 per month) plan, you can add up to five. With the 2TB ($9.99 per month) plan, you can add an unlimited number of cameras, the tier required to enable Apple Intelligence features.

This makes sense, and is in line with competitors: Nearly all home security cameras with AI features require some sort of paid monthly subscription, usually around this same price ($10 a month), to enable the AI features.

Apple

iCloud+ storage is included with all Apple One plans, too. The Individual plan gives you the 50GB, the Family plan gives you 200GB, and Premier comes with 2TB of storage.