TP-Link announces new HomeKit enabled smart home products and more

TP-Link has announced a new lineup of smart home products for the US at CES 2022 under its Tapo brand — including HomeKit-enabled smart lights, plugs, and a smart switch.

TP-Link has sold smart home products in Europe under the Tapo brand since 2019, but now the company is bringing it to the US for the first time. Previously, none of the Tapo products supported HomeKit, but now five of the newly-announced Tapo products will support Apple’s smart home connections. (The company initially promised at CES 2019 to include HomeKit with a smart plug, but later canceled plans to push the update.)

The all-new Tapo HomeKit-enabled products are slated to release throughout 2022, starting with the Mini Plug in the first quarter. The Power Strip, Dimmer Switch, and Light Strip are slated for a second-quarter release, while the Color Light Bulb will ship in the third quarter of 2022. None of them require a hub and they can connect directly to Wi-Fi.

Images from TP-Link / The Verge

TP-Link has also announced four new Tapo cloud-connected security cameras — some of which can record to a microSD card but do not support HomeKit or HomeKit secure video. The first is scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2022, it’s a wired outdoor camera with night vision and 2K resolution that can record to a microSD card as large as 256GB.

The other three are coming in the third quarter of 2022. The Pan and Tilt Camera includes a cover door to block the lens of the 2K camera, smart detection that can notify you of the presence of people, pets, and cars. There’s also a new wired Floodlight Camera and a battery-powered outdoor camera — both with 2K resolution — and the latter can connect to a dedicated hub that records video to a microSD card.

Image: TP-Link

Finally, TP-Link announced a new set of Tapo home security sensors. One is a programmable Smart Button that can wirelessly control other Tapo products — available in the second quarter of 2022. Another is a kit that includes a motion sensor, door/window sensor, and an alarm hub that can connect up to 64 sensors together via a Sub-1GHz wireless connection — a low-powered and long-range radio technology. These sensors are powered by button cells that TP-Link says last for more than a year on this connection, while the required alarm hub needs wall power.

Prices are yet to be announced on the new Tapo product lineup. And although TP-Link is listed as a participant of the Connectivity Standards Alliance, the group that supports Matter, the company has yet to announce any products that support the growing universal smart home standard.

In the US, TP-Link has sold smart home products (including motion-activated switches and outdoor smart plugs) under the Kasa brand, and the company will continue to do so. That includes a Kasa wired smart doorbell that was originally announced in January of last year, which is now planned for release in February for $59.99.