The Nextbase IQ is our favorite dashcam, and it just got better thanks to a free update that adds voice control and more
We think the Nextbase iQ is the best dashcam you can buy in 2024 and it just got better thanks to a major firmware update, available to Nextbase ‘Protect’ and ‘Protect Plus’ subscribers.
The ‘smart’ dashcam was launched at the end of 2023 with new, never-before-seen features. Unfortunately, many of these features, including Guardian Mode and Pico Voice, wouldn’t be added until later – that time has finally come.
Billed as a ‘smart’ dashcam, the Nextbase iQ is one of the most expensive dashcams on the market, but its appeal is clear: unlike most dashcams, it has a 4G connection and can be updated with new features , making it future-proof. device and further expands its capabilities.
In addition to the three new features below, Nextbase has also launched a new rear camera specifically for the iQ, equipped with 2.7K video (1440p) and a 140-degree field of view, complete with iQ-matching design. At the time of writing we only have the UK launch price of the iQ’s rear camera, which is £149 (about $190 / AU$290).
At launch, the iQ felt like a revolutionary product in what has otherwise been a fairly stagnant dashcam market of late. However, the hardware, while impressive, was nothing to write home about, and there was no guarantee that the exciting future features would ever materialize.
Now Nextbase has made good on its word by adding three new features as well as a new reversing camera to round out the now complete hardware package: a Nextbase iQ with new reversing camera can cover a total of 450 degrees when you take into account the cabin camera included in the iQ is built-in.
Those new iQ features are Guardian Mode, Pico Voice and Enhanced Smart Sense Parking.
Users can remotely set personal restrictions and receive updates through Guardian Mode. For example, if your vehicle is being used by a friend or family member, or left with a mechanic or valet, Guardian Mode can monitor speed and heavy braking and set location boundaries.
Pico Voice – formerly Push to Talk – is a smart assistant feature that allows you to ask the Nextbase iQ to get directions, find parking, play music, make calls, check the weather and so on, as well as smart home operate devices, all while keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Voice commands are processed locally on the device, while video is stored encrypted in the cloud.
Finally, Enhanced Smart Sense Parking allows users to enable or disable remote alerts initiated by Nextbase’s proprietary radar-based Spatial-awareness technology. These notifications, which alert the user to threats entering a certain radius around the vehicle, are especially useful as they allow the user to monitor, engage and even proactively take action to address an incident before it occurs. it happens.
As one of the few dashcams with a 4G connection, the Nextbase iQ can offer remote functions such as automatic uploads to the cloud if an incident occurs, plus the new Guardian Mode feature.
The downside is that to get the most out of iQ, you need a monthly subscription. Indeed, the new features are only available to ‘Protect’ and ‘Protect Plus’ subscribers.
However, you rarely think straight after an incident, and a smart dashcam like the iQ that does the hard work for you with uploads and remote control can prove invaluable. The fact that new features are being added only strengthens the appeal, if you can get past the ongoing costs.