ADT's long-rumored new security system is now available ADT.comWith all-new ADT hardware and Google Nest camera integrations, Smart speakers and much moreThe new ADT Plus system looks and works distinctly from Google Nest Secure (RIP), but how it will work in your home remains to be seen.
The company also announced that the Yale Assure 2 lock It will be the first smart lock compatible with Trusted Neighbor, its new feature that takes advantage of technologies such as smart locks and facial recognition to make it easier for trusted people to enter your home in case of emergency, or simply to feed the dog.
If you have the smart lock as part of your system, you can set it up so that when your “trusted neighbor” comes to your home to help you, the door will automatically unlock and the system will disarm, then re-lock and arm itself when you leave.
The new ADT Plus system represents a significant change for the company, bringing professionally installed systems into line with do-it-yourself systems. You now get the same hardware no matter which installation route you choose.
ADT Plus replaces ADT's Self Setup system, which launched in 2023 following Google's investment in the company. It was offered for free to Nest Secure users when that service was discontinued and will continue to be supported.
According to ADT's commercial director, Wayne Thorsen, the technology behind the new system, which uses Ultra low energy DECTZ-Wave, Wi-Fi and BLE protocols: Can integrate more deeply with hardware from smart home partners like Yale and Google, allowing for more advanced automation.
In an interview with The edge, Thorsen said this is just the beginning of smarter integrations coming to the new platform. The Yale Z-Wave lock is the first compatible lock, but Thorsen says there will be more options in the future.
The Access feature allows someone you trust to disarm the system and unlock your door using the app or a key code based on parameters you set. These parameters can be time-based or one-time based on events. So you can set it to let Suzy in if a package shows up at your door and to let the plumber in if a leak detector is triggered.
You can also take advantage of the Familiar Face Feature on Google Nest Cameras and connecting the Yale lock to the ADT system so that the house “magically” disarms and unlocks the door when it recognizes a trusted neighbor.
The Yale Assure Lock 2 is offered in a Starter kit included for the new systemwhich normally costs $658.98 but is launching at a 30 percent discount at $461.29. The Entry Door Protection Bundle includes the new base station, two door/window sensors, a Yale Assure Lock 2, and a Google Nest Doorbell (battery). Professional Monitoring costs $45 per month and includes a subscription to Conscious Nest for event-based video recording (if you want 24/7 video recording, it costs an additional $7).
He Premium Total Security Package Add a third door/window sensor, a motion sensor, three Google Nest cameras (Nest Cam Indoor, Nest Cam Indoor/Outdoor, and Nest Cam Floodlight), and three water temperature sensors for $1,101.76 (regularly $1,573.95). You can also put together a bundle that starts at $269 for the base station and a door/window sensor.
The ADT Plus system can be installed and monitored by yourself. However, you must pay for one month of monitoring to purchase the system; after that, according to the company, you can monitor it yourself for free. For a professional installation, a 36-month monitoring plan is required.
Nest Secure Shadows
The new ADT Plus system draws heavily on the much-missed Google Secure system. It has a similar-looking base station that features a backlit touchpad with proximity detection and the option to Premium door and window sensorsSimilar to the Nest Detects that were part of Nest Secure, the sensor can be disabled with the push of a button, so you can let your dog out to pee without waking up the whole house, though it doesn't work as a motion sensor like the Detect did.
Since Google's investment in ADT in 2020, there have been several changes at the top of the company, with many Nest employees moving from Google to ADT.including Thorsen and new CTO Gilles Drieu, who was director of engineering at Google Nest.
All of this means that the new hardware has the Nest imprint all over it. I’m looking forward to trying it out to see if it’s a worthy successor to the Nest Secure. However, while ADT Plus works with Google Nest hardware, the company tells me that it’s not compatible with the Google Home app – app control is only done through the ADT Plus app.
As someone who has covered smart home and home security for over a decade, I'm excited to see better integration and innovation between the two areas, which to date have been largely segmented. At the same time, it's frustrating that all of this is still locked into a closed ecosystem. It will be interesting to see where ADT, Google, and Yale take this.
