Facebook Enters Smart Home Market With Video Chat Devices Portal and Portal+
Facebook introduces Portal and Portal+, two smart screens designed for video calling that face an uphill battle against consumer privacy concerns. The devices feature AI-powered cameras and rely heavily on the Facebook ecosystem.
Facebook launches pre-orders for its first consumer hardware devices, the $199 Portal and the $349 Portal+, which combine a countertop video chat screen with Alexa voice integration. The gadgets feature a Smart Camera that uses local 2D pose tracking to automatically pan and zoom, keeping users perfectly in frame during Messenger video calls. When not in use, the screens function as digital photo frames that display images and videos from a user's Facebook account.
The company faces a significant hurdle in convincing consumers to invite Facebook-branded cameras and microphones into their homes. To address these privacy concerns, Facebook builds the devices with local processing chips, physical camera covers, and electronic mute toggles, while explicitly omitting facial recognition technology. The hardware lacks popular streaming apps like YouTube and Netflix at launch, though the company promises additional video partners are on the way.
Portal undercuts the Amazon Echo Show by $20, while the larger Portal+ features a swiveling screen that transitions between landscape and portrait orientations alongside a powerful four-inch woofer. Both models offer access to Spotify, Pandora, and Facebook Watch, plus an augmented reality Story Time feature for children. Buyers receive a $100 discount if they purchase any two devices, with sales currently open in the US through Facebook, Amazon, and Best Buy.