SwitchBot just dropped a clever twist on personal safety devices. The company's new $40 Safety Alarm doesn't just track your location and sound alarms - it can trigger fake phone calls to get you out of sketchy situations. Available today, the keychain-sized device merges smart home automation with emergency response features that could change how we think about personal security.
SwitchBot is making a bold play in the personal safety market with its new Safety Alarm, a $39.99 device that's part tracker, part smart home key, and part digital bodyguard. The company quietly launched the device today, and it's already shaking up the competitive landscape with features that feel straight out of a spy thriller.
The Safety Alarm looks innocuous enough - like a keychain flashlight you'd grab at a hardware store. But double-tap a button, and it triggers what SwitchBot calls a "virtual phone call" that rings your smartphone even in silent mode. The idea is simple but brilliant: if you're walking alone at night or stuck in an uncomfortable situation, suddenly getting a phone call gives you an excuse to leave or signals to potential threats that someone might be looking for you.
"It will ring even if your smartphone is in silent mode," according to SwitchBot's product documentation. That detail matters - most fake call apps rely on your phone's existing settings, making them less reliable in emergencies.
But the fake calls are just the opening act. Yank the keychain off the main device, and the Safety Alarm transforms into a full emergency beacon. The LED switches to a strobing pattern while blasting a 130dB alarm - that's louder than a jet engine at takeoff. Simultaneously, it sends location alerts to up to five emergency contacts, though notably without live tracking capabilities.
The device slots naturally into SwitchBot's existing smart home ecosystem. Most of the time, it functions as an NFC key for the company's smart locks, sending "home arrival" notifications when you're in Bluetooth range. That integration gives it an edge over pure safety devices - it's useful enough for daily carry that you're more likely to actually have it when trouble strikes.
Competition in this space is heating up fast. Pebblebee's Clip tracker commands a $50 price point but offers cross-platform compatibility with both Apple's Find My and Google's Find My Device networks. SwitchBot's device only works with Apple's network, a limitation that could hurt adoption among Android users.
