Google's Nest division is reportedly working on a 4K-esque indoor security camera that could break cover before the end of the month. Here's everything we know at this hour.
The camera will apparently feature a 4K-capable sensor but only stream / record up to 1080p. The reason for this, according to Android Police which broke the story, has to do with technical limitations as streaming 4K video over Wi-Fi would be a taxing affair.
The benefit of having a 4K sensor is that the camera can effectively "zoom in" on a section of the image and display that quarter of the screen at 1080p resolution without image loss. When the camera detects motion, this is exactly what it'll do - zoom in on the section where the action is taking place.
Sources say the camera will also be able to show a down-scaled 1080p full frame view for when you want to see the entire coverage area.
Unfortunately, there aren't any plans to offer full 4K recording or streaming due to the aforementioned technical limitations although I suspect such functionality could be added in later via firmware update (perhaps in conjunction with a suitable video compression algorithm).
It's worth reiterating that we're talking about an indoor camera here; no word yet on when or if an outdoor, rugged version is in the works.
Android Police couldn't share images of the camera but said it resembled a shower head with an LED ring around the lens to indicate when it is recording (much like a webcam).
As for pricing, well, it won't come cheap. Expect to pay upwards of $300 for the opportunity when it does finally hit the market.