Apple requires a $9.99 iCloud+ plan to use iOS 27’s Apple Intelligence Home app features with a single HomeKit camera, and iPhone users aren’t happy with it.
iOS 27 includes text descriptions for motion alerts, a feature that uses Apple Intelligence. It recognizes people, animals, vehicles, packages and general movements, and summarizes what is happening.
During the beta, we learned that a 2TB iCloud+ plan or higher would be required to use Video Summaries, but at the time Apple didn’t say how many cameras would be supported.
Last week, Apple shared new details about the limitations of Apple Intelligence, and it turns out that the 2TB iCloud+ plan priced at $9.99 per month will only add single-camera AI summaries. You’ll need the 6TB plan for $29.99 per month to get AI summaries for two cameras, or the 12TB plan for $59.99 per month if you want to add up to five cameras. Apple One Premier subscribers are limited to just one camera since the plan includes 2TB of iCloud+ storage.
Apple does not offer an iCloud+ plan that allows users to receive AI summaries for unlimited cameras.
Using HomeKit Secure Video cameras has always required a paid iCloud+ plan, but the recording limits conflict with Apple Intelligence limits. You can use a single HomeKit Secure Video camera with the 50GB iCloud+ plan for $0.99 per month, five cameras with the 200GB plan for $2.99 per month, and unlimited cameras with the 2TB plan for $9.99 per month.
Someone who has a 2TB iCloud+ plan and has invested in multiple HomeKit Secure Video cameras will only be able to use the new Apple Intelligence feature with one of those cameras.
There are dozens of complaints about subscription terms on Reddit and the Woozad forums.
Apple warns that the number of supported cameras and other features of the iCloud+ plan could change over time. There will also be usage limits on Siri AI, photo editing tools and Image Playground, with paid options to increase access. Apple has not announced pricing for features other than the Apple Intelligence Home app options.
Rumors suggest that Apple will launch its own home security cameras as early as next year, with the company also working on a home security and surveillance service. Apple’s own home security cameras might require the iCloud+ subscription for advanced AI features.
