The new AI features of the Home app – from aggregated motion alerts to natural language search – aren't free in iOS 27. Apple requires an iCloud+ subscription of at least 2 TB. In Germany, this means a minimum of €9.99 per month.
At WWDC, Apple announced that some Apple Intelligence features would require an iCloud+ subscription – without specifying which tier. Now the company has provided the missing information, hidden in the beta notes for the third macOS Golden Gate beta: The AI-powered camera features of the Home app in iOS 27 require at least the 2TB plan. This clarifies the cost of these features – and who will have access to them.
These Home features are tied to the 2TB plan
In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 Golden Gate, the Home app can get significantly more out of the footage from HomeKit Secure Video cameras. Specifically, it creates written summaries of motion alerts, combines recordings from multiple cameras into an activity overview, highlights particularly relevant recordings, and allows for natural language search.
Apple ties this AI package to the 2TB plan. Users with a smaller iCloud+ subscription will still see the classic camera functions – however, the new AI analysis will be unavailable until the storage is upgraded to at least 2TB.
How much the 2TB plan costs in Germany
In the US, Apple lists the 2TB tier as $9.99 per month. In Germany and Austria, the price is €9.99 per month, while in Switzerland, it's billed in Swiss francs. For context, here's the complete iCloud+ tier and the number of cameras supported by each:
| Plan | Price per month | HomeKit cameras |
|---|---|---|
| 50 GB | 0,99 € | 1 |
| 200 GB | 2,99 € | up to 5 |
| 2 TB | 9,99 € | unlimited |
| 6 TB | 29,99 € | unlimited |
| 12 TB | 59,99 € | unlimited |
Important for cost calculation: Videos from HomeKit Secure Video do not count against the storage quota. The full 2 TB therefore remain free for photos, backups, and other data.
Those who already pay – and those who will pay extra
A look at the camera lineup shows that the new requirement doesn't affect everyone equally. HomeKit Secure Video has always been tied to a paid iCloud subscription: The 50GB plan allows one camera, the 200GB plan up to five, and only the 2TB plan offers unlimited cameras. So, anyone operating multiple cameras is already at the 2TB level – for these users, the AI features are included at no extra cost.
However, those who manage with a single camera and the 50GB or 200GB plan will pay significantly more for AI analysis for the first time: Switching from the €2.99 plan to the €9.99 level means more than a tripling of the monthly costs.
Usable in the EU – unlike Siri AI
For users in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, it's important to understand that goes beyond the simple question of price: These Home features are part of Apple's general intelligence features and are therefore available in these countries – unlike the new Siri AI package, which Apple is withholding in the EU due to the Digital Markets Act. The 2TB storage limit is thus not a theoretical US issue, but directly affects German-speaking users.
This already applies to Switzerland: As a non-EU country, it is not affected by the DMA and receives Apple's AI features without regional restrictions. In all three countries, access is ultimately determined not by region, but by the chosen iCloud+ tier.
Apple Intelligence is moving behind a paywall
The Home features are the first concrete example of how Apple is tying individual Apple Intelligence capabilities to a paid subscription. For heavy users with multiple cameras, little will change, as they already have the appropriate plan. For everyone else, it becomes clear that "free" AI features within the system can indeed come at a price – namely, the cost of the necessary storage subscription. Which other Apple Intelligence features Apple will link to iCloud+ in the future should become apparent during the beta phase. (Image: Shutterstock / sdx15)
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