Bosch B Series burglar alarm adds iPhone control

The Bosch B Series burglar alarm system was announced, which lets you monitor and control your home security via an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, was announced at CES 2013.

Key to the new system is the Bosch B Series Control Panel. This new panel is the primary control system for your burglar alarm and communicates with the outside world via the internet, either using your existing Wi-Fi connection or through the panel’s built-in mobile data connection.

Once installed, the Remote Security Control app on any iOS device can be used for remote control of the alarm system. The app will let you arm and disarm the system, check status and control monitored devices. Any events, such as a break-in or fire alarm going off can also be sent to the controlling mobile device.

Each Bosch B Series panel can control four individual areas, say letting you arm a spare bedroom that’s rarely used, without affecting the rest of the system. As well as that, each panel can monitor smoke detectors and activate panic alarms.

Keeping up with modern technology, the panels all support IPv4, which will run out of new address allocations this year, and the newer standard with more internet addresses, IPv6.

The B Series demonstrates a general move towards devices being able to communicate over the internet and be monitored by mobile devices. These new control panels will provide a similar level of monitoring and security as the existing AlertMe system, which has the option of home security, energy monitoring and remote heating control.

The Bosch B Series panels are available in the US now, but UK availability and pricing have not yet been announced.