A Chicago-based IoT-enabled video doorbell system is making a name for itself in the crowded smart home market.
The system, called Xchime, allows users to answer the door from anywhere via a video doorbell and live chat feature accessed through the Xchime iOS or Android app, as well as remotely shut the garage door and automatically turn on a porch light to deter intruders. The system, designed by ex-Motorola engineer Gary Bi, has blasted through its $25,000 Indiegogo campaign goal, raising nearly$75,000 in less than a month.
While the smart doorbell market already has a number of players, Xchime differentiates with its range of features. Aside from the video doorbell feature, which alerts the user when someone is at the door and allows them to see and talk to the person via 1080P HD live video (with night vision), it offers motion detection notifications so users are alerted when there is unusual activity and can switch on a live stream video of their front step to monitor the situation.
The startup also offers add-on smart light and garage door devices, allowing users to shut or open a garage door or automatically turn on a light via the Xchime app. The device is also weather-resistant and, using patent-pending technology, can function in temperatures from -40 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (a pretty key feature for an outdoor device in the Midwest).
The Xchime will retail for $249, but early backers can get it as low as $140. The first units will ship this August.
There are already several players in the smart doorbell game, including the Ring Pro and SkyBell, as well as an ever-growing smart home system market with devices connecting everything from kitchen appliances to home security systems. While Xchime is going up against these incumbents, its connection to a smart light and garage opener, as well as weather-resistant features, could help the device stand out.
The startup was founded by Bi in 2014 and employs several additional ex-Motorola software engineers, with a combined 80 years experience in cellphone design and development.
Xchime has raised $420,000 in seed funding from Ufrate, a Silicon Valley incubator, and other angel investors.