Qubo has expanded well beyond home security cameras. Its portfolio now includes video doorbells, smart locks, dashcams and connected appliances. Yet the company’s technology roadmap for 2026 has a much clearer starting point: cameras.
The next phase is not simply about adding more camera models. Qubo wants its cameras to respond when they detect a possible threat, preserve footage even if the device is damaged, and give users enough context to decide whether an alert needs attention. The company also wants to bring the same connected approach to dashcams, turning them from passive recorders into devices that can be checked remotely.
In an interaction with MySmartPrice, Mr. Anup Cheruvathoor, CTO, Qubo, spoke about the company’s camera-first strategy, the challenge of training AI for Indian conditions and why control over the firmware and cloud platform is central to its plans. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Cameras Move From Recording to Response
Cheruvathoor described Wi-Fi security cameras as Qubo’s biggest area of focus for 2026. One reason is the closer scrutiny of connected-camera security in India. According to him, the government’s Essential Requirements ask camera makers to demonstrate that their devices and feeds cannot be accessed or transmitted without authorisation.
Qubo believes it is better placed to respond because it has owned its firmware and cloud platform from the beginning. Cheruvathoor said several members of the team had previously developed products for Western markets, where cybersecurity for connected devices had already become a basic requirement. The company now sees that work as an advantage in India, although he acknowledged that security alone will not be enough in a price-sensitive camera market.
The more visible differentiator will be AI Guard. A user living in an independent house, for instance, could schedule the front porch to be guarded between midnight and 6am. If the camera detects a person during that period, it can switch on its lights, sound an alarm and begin uploading the live stream to the cloud. This means the footage should remain available even if somebody damages the camera.
“Most cameras give a simple notification, and you can hit or miss it. Here, it comes as an incoming video call, similar to a WhatsApp call. You pick it up and start seeing what is happening immediately,” Cheruvathoor explained.
Qubo is already using parts of this approach with its video doorbells. Subscribers can receive a short description of who is at the door, such as a delivery person wearing a recognisable uniform. The system is also being developed to flag situations that appear unusual instead of making the user open every alert to understand what triggered it.
Tackling False Alerts in Indian Conditions
The difficult part is ensuring that a more forceful alert is also a more reliable one. Indian homes can present cameras with crowded streets, poor lighting, rain, glare and frequent movement outside the property. An incoming-call alert will quickly become irritating if the model repeatedly mistakes these conditions for a security threat.
Cheruvathoor said Qubo’s model has performed well in its internal test sets, but did not present it as a finished problem. If a customer encounters a false positive and permits Qubo to use that feed, the company can use the footage to retrain the model. Real-world examples will therefore remain important as the feature reaches more types of homes and lighting conditions.
Qubo is also considering a second layer of verification in the cloud. Detection can begin on the camera, while the cloud can help verify what the device has seen before a more serious warning is issued. Cheruvathoor said parts of this framework already support the descriptive alerts offered with Qubo’s video doorbells.
Cloud Storage Becomes Part of the Product
The cloud is not only being used to improve detection. It is also changing how Qubo thinks about camera storage. Cheruvathoor pointed to rising memory costs, claiming that an SD card can now cost almost as much as some entry-level cameras. Qubo’s newer models can work without an SD card when the buyer chooses a cloud subscription, making them usable out of the box.
The subscription pitch, however, cannot stop at replacing local storage. Qubo plans to bundle AI Guard, richer alerts and cloud recording so that the recurring cost produces a visible difference in how the camera works. This also explains why the company is keen to connect the different security products inside a home.
Some of that integration is already available. A compatible Qubo video doorbell can connect to a smart lock over Bluetooth, allowing the owner to view the visitor and control the lock from the same incoming call. The longer-term plan is to correlate information from multiple cameras and sensors before assessing a possible threat.
Cheruvathoor called this sensor fusion, but said it will become practical only as households add more Qubo devices. The company currently averages around 1.6 devices per home. Until that number grows, some of the more elaborate cloud-based use cases may cost more to run than they return.
The Same Camera Strategy Moves Into Cars
Qubo is carrying the same idea into its dashcam business. A conventional dashcam becomes valuable after an accident or traffic dispute because it provides a visual record. Qubo’s 2026 plan is to make more of its dashcams connected, so that the camera can also be useful while the vehicle is parked or moving.
An owner could check where the car is parked, view a live feed while a valet is bringing it back, or see what is happening inside and outside the vehicle. Cheruvathoor also described a more specific Indian use case involving children who travel to school with a driver and an attendant. A connected dashcam could tell a parent that the car has reached school, let them check whether the child has left the vehicle, and allow them to speak to the child or driver.
Parents could also set a time window and receive an alert if the car takes longer than usual to arrive. A location tracker can show where the vehicle is, but a connected camera can add the visual context that explains why it has stopped or who remains inside. That is the distinction Qubo will have to communicate as lower-priced dashcams continue to enter the market.
Owning the Technology Stack Matters
Qubo’s camera-first plan ultimately depends on how quickly it can move from an idea to a working feature. Cheruvathoor said the company deliberately built its own firmware and cloud platform even though third-party connected-device stacks were available. Owning those layers means the product and technology teams do not have to wait for an outside platform provider whenever they want to change how a feature works.
“The main reason for our velocity of innovation is that we own the stack. If a product team member comes up with a good idea, translating that idea is completely in our hands,” he said.
That control still has to translate into a product buyers consider worth paying for. Cheruvathoor was clear that Qubo cannot charge substantially more merely by describing its cameras as technologically superior. Hardware pricing must remain competitive, while AI, cloud services and connectivity have to prove their value through everyday use.
“Price is the entry point. You cannot take a premium of up to 40 percent by saying you have a fantastic product,” he said. For Qubo, the bet is that cameras which react, explain and stay connected will make a stronger case than another round of specification upgrades.
