Anker’s Eufy Strides Into IFA With a New AI Ecosystem and Devices to Match

Anker’s plans for home AI focus entirely on device algorithms.Anker Anker and its home brand Eufy came to Berlin’s IFA event well prepared with major news, including an overhaul of how the company approaches home security, and the new capabilities it wants to give devices in the coming years. I’m no stranger to AI in home security, but Eufy’s approach is unique and has the potential to be particularly advantageous for customers. Anker’s flagship announcement is an excellent example of what I’m talking about. We saw the company’s newest MindBase hub, a home AI enabler made to connect to many kinds of other Anker and Eufy products and process their data with AI algorithms, all entirely on-device. That means no connections to the cloud, few worries about how the company will use your private data for analysis and lower costs than most AI around the home. Using Anker’s EasyOmni Link platform, the MindBase is supposed to connect to Anker’s security, energy, cleaning and audio devices. It also has Matter support, so devices that work with Apple Home, Amazon Alexa and Google Home are also on the table. The base uses an in-house-developed LLM running on an AI chip to accomplish much of what most companies need cloud help to do. Eufy’s shiny new security tech sports the latest advances Eufy’s new doorbell is pricey, but it has a 3K resolution and tracking.Anker Eufy While Anker didn’t show off everything the MindBase is capable of, we did get some more advanced looks of its security capabilities thanks to Eufy’s new security line, set for the months to come. The MindBase itself, which is still pending price and release date info, can tap into Eufy’s new Smart Security Shield sensor with radar to detect strangers and encrypted facial data that can recognize familiar faces from up to 30 meters away. The on-device approach to facial data could help Eufy escape the privacy lawsuits similar to those facial data technologies are facing in the US. Eufy is also releasing a new wired video doorbell, notable for its 3K resolution and AI tracking technology (meaning it can keep delivery people in view for longer, etc.). It’s set for sale at $300 later this month. For those who want a full security setup, Eufy is also launching an eight-channel NVR system with 2K security cameras. I’m not sure how many NVR features will need MindBase to function, but Anker says the wired, fully contained kit can handle auto framing, smart video searches, cross-camera tracking and 24/7 recording. Eufy’s line is also expanding into two particularly interesting security devices. One is a presence-sensing wall sensor made to detect falls, especially for those aging in place. The detector can raise alerts and link loved ones using two-way audio, a feature combination I’ve never seen before. The brand is also releasing a new $70 window camera later this year, a small 2.5K device with a cup-like shield design to reduce glare so people can attach it to the inside of a window. I’ve tested cameras like these this year from brands like Wyze, and they’re an interesting compromise fit for apartment windows (such as those looking over your carport) and similar situations where an outdoor camera isn’t feasible. The big subscription question I’ve seen the rise of window cams this year, now including Eufy’s.Anker Eufy Anker’s Eufy brand has been one of my favorite options for no-subscription home security that still offers important features like human detection and local video storage without relying on the cloud. I’m not totally sure how the MindBase and new AI features will work, but there are promising signs. For its new security cameras and sensors, Anker said, “The portfolio processes sensitive biometric data on-device … with no monthly subscriptions attached,” but added an important caveat that premium and optional features (not sure what those would be) may require a monthly fee, so there are a lot of questions for future details to answer. For features like the MindBase’s MindSafe Memory, a local storage system that can perform AI searches through photos, videos and files, Anker didn’t mention any fee information, and I’m not sure if it will require a subscription. The same is true of the facial recognition features in the Smart Security Shield, although Eufy indicated earlier this summer that those features wouldn’t require a subscription, so I’m hopeful. Anker also said it’s planning on adding new AI agents in addition to the security tricks, like an energy version to save power and a cleaning version to manage your robot vacuums, but I don’t have any info on whether those capabilities will require subscriptions. A final important note about the Eufy brand Anker showed up at IFA with plenty to test out in the coming year, as well as news about its branding plans. In the future, Anker has plans to congregate its brand names primarily under Anker. That means I may not be using the years-old Eufy name for too much longer. Hints of this change were visible in Anker’s IFA showcases. For example, while the MindBase bears the Eufy name on the physical hub, Anker solely refers to it as the Anker MindBase in promotional materials, possibly a sign of things to come. I’ll keep you updated so the naming system doesn’t get too confusing when you’re looking for home security. Tyler has worked on, lived with and tested all types of smart home and security technology for over a dozen years, explaining the latest features, privacy tricks, and top recommendations. With degrees in Business Management, Literature and Technical Writing, Tyler takes every opportunity to play with the latest AI technology, push smart devices to their limits and occasionally throw cameras off his roof, all to find the best devices to trust in your life. He always checks with the renters (and pets) in his life to see what smart products can work for everyone, in every living situation. Living in beautiful Bend, Oregon gives Tyler plenty of opportunities to test the latest tech in every kind of weather and temperature. But when not at work, he can be found hiking the trails, trying out a new food recipe for his loved ones, keeping up on his favorite reading, or gaming with good friends. 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