Smart door lock maker Level is bringing a new video doorbell to apartment dwellers

Level has announced that it is releasing a doorbell camera specifically for multifamily buildings as an optional part Composite Smart Home Platform For multiunit residences. The video doorbell won’t be generally available, but instead taps into a smart home market for multifamily buildings that could benefit from a retail smart lock maker moving into the space.

Our initial assumption was that it might provide a camera shared by the residents of an apartment building, but Level says that’s not the case, with the system designed to keep them on separate units.

Level says residents can use the Level app to see through the doorbell camera and talk with visitors on the other side. The press release states that the cameras include “package recognition intelligence” to notify residents when a delivery has arrived. Assuming the company brings the same level of creativity to its doorbell camera that it did to the Level Bolt — its “invisible” smart lock that tucks all its smart guts into the deadbolt itself — the Level Video Doorbell could bring sophistication that Otherwise it is lacking in the market.

in an email ledge, Level’s chief revenue officer Ned Murphy said the camera will be compatible with locks found in Level’s multifamily catalog, and users will be able to toggle their door locks from the video call interface.

However, as we pointed out in early 2016 of competing latches, such systems can have privacy issues, such as requiring that the company keep its lock usage logs, which landlords could potentially review. Are.

The release touches on privacy, but only barely, saying that the doorbell camera level will be accessible from the app “while being mindful of neighbor privacy and owner liability.” Although it is not clear what this means.

We asked Level for more details and in an email ledge, Murphy said Level stores 20-second video clips for 72 hours, but does not allow residents to record and store videos beyond that. Package detection, Murphy said, will notify all residents within a unit when a package is found, including anyone on the lease for a given unit.

How does the doorbell notify the correct resident about guests? what is meant by “package detection intelligence”; Are all residents notified when a delivery arrives, or can the delivery person somehow tell the system to only tell the recipient? We’ve asked these and other level questions and will provide an update when we learn more.

Level’s new smart system for multi-dwelling units comes courtesy of its acquisition of Dwello in 2021. Dwello, like venture smart home company Latch, provides a smart home system for apartment buildings and landlords that gives residents control of basic preconfigured smart home devices. which belong to the owner of the building.

As for whether this platform is an extension of Dwelle, Murphy writes that it is not — the platform launched today is “completely new, designed and engineered by Level.”

Level CEO and co-founder John Martin is quoted in the press release:

“First generation smart apartment platforms lack the quality and reliability that owners and operators should expect. With Level technology and innovation there is finally an answer.

Level said in its release that it would drop the Dwello name, putting the system entirely under the Level brand.

Update June 1st, 2023, 5PM ET: This article has been updated with details and quotes from Level.