First Alert today announced that it will be previewing a new model of its Safe & Sound smoke and carbon monoxide detector, which doubles as a speaker, at CES 2019 in Las Vegas. The new model will remain compatible with HomeKit, allowing it to be controlled in the Home app on iOS and macOS and with Siri voice commands.
The second-generation Safe & Sound features mesh Wi-Fi technology, delivering expanded and stronger Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the home, according to First Alert. And coming "soon" — that's been the case for awhile — the detector will support AirPlay 2, enabling streaming from Apple devices and multi-room audio.
The detector has a built-in speaker with noise-canceling microphones and is available with either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant built in. Alexa users, for example, can ask to stream music from Amazon Music or Spotify, read the news, check the weather, control other smart home devices, and so forth.
As for the detector itself, an alarm alerts homeowners on their smartphones in the event of a smoke or carbon monoxide emergency, whether home or away. With exclusive voice and location technology by First Alert, the Safe & Sound alerts users to the type of danger and its location within the home.
First Alert has not revealed pricing or availability for the new Safe & Sound. The original model is currently on sale for $199.99 on Amazon in the United States, down from $249.99 regularly.
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Top Rated Comments
"Ooh a fancy fire alarm. And it's from First Alert this time, a good brand for fire alarms. HomeKit, niice. Alexa and Google Assistant... Next!"
To be fair, a ceiling speaker powered by smoke detector wiring is an ingenious idea. But I would be far more supportive if the smoke detector module can be replaced independently, even if the module costs $100 a pop.