It appears security company ADT is about to launch a more fitting successor to Nest Secure than the half-baked ADT Self Setup system it rolled out last year. The new system, called ADT Smart Home Security, features more polished sensor hardware, a sleeker base station with a backlit keypad (like the Nest Guard), and door window sensors that can be disarmed using an on-device button (like the Nest Detects). This was a handy feature of Nest’s system for easily disarming it when your dog needed to pee at 2AM.
The company hasn’t announced this system, so there are no pricing details or a release date, but The Verge received a tip linking to hidden support pages on its website containing all the hardware details. Based on these, we can glean the following about the new system:
The new ADT Smart Home Security system base station. Image: ADT
Google discontinued its Nest Secure system shortly after, and ADT soon shuttered its DIY system, Blue. A couple of years later, ADT started incorporating Google Nest cameras into its professionally installed security systems and launched a new DIY system with Google Nest integration.
ADT’s premium door window sensor features a button you can press to disarm it. Nest’s Detect sensor (right) was the first sensor with this feature. Image: ADT and Image: Nest
Nest Secure’s selling point was its high-quality hardware and simple setup and use. Along with the press-to-disarm feature, the Nest Detect sensors acted as both motion and contact sensors, meaning fewer little white devices cluttering your home.
Since Nest Secure’s demise, some other interesting options have emerged. Both Arlo and Ecobee have security systems that use a combo motion / contact sensor, but neither has the option to press to disarm, something ADT appears to be about to launch.
However, it doesn’t look like the new ADT system will have an NFC tag option for disarming, which was another neat Nest Secure feature. Arlo is bringing that option to its system later this year.
Here’s a look at what we know about the new ADT hardware that will be part of the system:
Overall, the industrial design here appears better than any of ADT’s existing pro-install system devices and those for its Self Setup system. While not as good-looking as most Nest hardware, it definitely shows influences from Google / Nest. How well the tech works and how it integrates with Google Nest products and Google Home will have to be determined once it’s fully launched.
We reached out to ADT for confirmation about the new system but have not heard back by the time of publication.
Correction, Friday, Oct 13, 11:50AM: Due to a typo, an earlier version of this article misstated Google’s investment in ADT; it invested $450 million.
