Quick answer: On September 16, 2026, Verkada announced its largest release day of the year: a right-sized BP42 alarm panel, the AW33 all-in-one wireless access controller, the TK74 touchscreen intercom with Face Unlock and multi-tenant directories, a dual-spectrum thermal camera series, six government-grade multisensor and remote cameras, a new addressable-sensor protocol, cloud-managed Sound Systems, a Transportation line for fleets, and a long list of Command software updates that mostly go live October 8. Below is what each one does and which Hawaii buildings it fits — from a Honolulu-based Verkada Gold Partner since 2019 that will be designing with all of it.
Verkada published nineteen product announcements in a single day. Most Hawaii businesses don't need all nineteen, so this guide sorts them by the question a facilities manager, school administrator, condo board, or agency IT lead actually asks: what changed in the hardware I'd buy, what changed in the software I already have, and which of it solves a problem specific to running security on an island. Every fact below comes from Verkada's own release posts; availability dates are Verkada's and can shift.
What new Verkada alarm hardware was announced?
The BP42 alarm panel, plus a new addressable-sensor protocol. The BP42 is the panel Verkada didn't have: the existing BP52 was built for large sites with 32 wired zones, and the compact BP32 leans on wireless sensors. The BP42 sits between them with ten wired zones (each supplying 12V power), a built-in VLink hub for up to 160 wireless sensors, two BSP loops, relay outputs for sirens, and a built-in slot for the cellular communicator and VBX2 battery. It is designed as a straight replacement for a legacy panel, taking over the sensors already in the walls — which is exactly the situation at most Honolulu retail stores, clinics, and branch offices that still run a copper-line panel from a previous decade. Two details matter here. Arming, disarming, and alarm signaling happen locally, so the system keeps working through an internet outage, and with the communicator and batteries fitted it keeps reporting through a power outage — the failure mode Hurricane Lowell just demonstrated on Kauai; see our hurricane-season checklist. And the BP42 can act as an expander over the local network, so a detached warehouse, maintenance shed, or outbuilding on the same property joins the main system over ethernet instead of a trenched conduit run. Orderable October 8, 2026 in North America.
Alongside it, Better Sensor Protocol (BSP) is Verkada's answer to old polling-loop wiring: one daisy-chained run carries power and data to up to 100 QX51 modules (200 door contacts or 50 powered motion sensors), modules discover themselves with no DIP switches, and a QX61 adapter connects a BSP run to an existing Verkada panel. For a Kapolei or Kalaeloa warehouse takeover with a hundred perimeter doors, that is the difference between rewiring and reusing. Our alarm systems page covers the current panels and monitoring; Verkada also opened early access to cloud-managed fire alarm monitoring in Command, which puts fire and intrusion events in one place — early access only for now, no general availability date.
What's new in Verkada door access control?
The AW33 wireless access controller, and software that ties door events to video. Until now, deploying Verkada's AL54 wireless locks meant pairing an AC12 controller with a separate WH32 wireless hub over RS-485 cabling. The AW33 combines both in one PoE-powered device with a 150-foot wireless range (an optional directional antenna focuses coverage down a long corridor), built-in battery backup, and optional LTE failover. If the network drops it keeps talking to other controllers on the local network, so lockdown and credential processing continue. For a DOE campus or a medical office adding classroom or exam-room doors without new cable, it removes a box and a wiring run from every closet. Available in the U.S. in October 2026.
On the software side, starting October 8 access control events — unlocks, tailgating, door held or forced open — can be dropped into the AI-powered unified timeline, so an unknown person at a door can be traced through every room they entered. Custom access-control roles let a school bundle exactly the permissions a front-office staffer or HR needs. Our door access control page covers the lineup this joins.
What is the TK74 touchscreen intercom and who is it for?
The TK74 is Verkada's most complete intercom yet, and it's built for multi-tenant buildings. It carries a 7-inch touchscreen bright enough for direct sun, two-way video calling (visitors see who they're talking to), Face Unlock with liveness detection, an illuminated target for visitor QR codes, custom branding on the screen, and a full 5MP security camera with IR night vision. The multi-tenant piece is what Hawaii property managers should notice: a dynamic directory with unit numbers and tenant logos, an AI voice directory for visitors who don't know the exact name, and a tenant-management page in Command that adds and removes tenants automatically as leases start and end, with call routing by time of day. That's a fit for Honolulu office towers, mixed-use buildings along Kapiolani and Bishop, and condo associations replacing a decades-old lobby panel. Available October 2026; tenant licensing is per site. See our door intercom page for the TD-series it joins.
What did Verkada announce for security cameras?
A thermal series, six government-grade cameras, and four new AI alerts. The CTB63 dual-spectrum thermal bullet records a 4K color stream and a 640×480 thermal stream at the same time, at up to 30 frames per second, and detects people and vehicles in darkness, through foliage, and in bad weather — with line-crossing alerts on the thermal feed for fences and property lines, and temperature alerts for equipment. Wide-angle (CTB63-E) and telephoto (CTB63-TE) versions reach limited availability in November 2026 and are export-controlled, so expect a qualification conversation. Think harbor yards, agricultural land, solar farms, and resort perimeters where a standard IR camera loses the subject in the trees.
For public agencies, Verkada added its first government-grade two-camera and four-camera multisensors (CY53-E-G, CY63-E-G, CH53-E-G, CH63-E-G) and government-grade remote cameras (CR63-E-G, CR63-TE-G) with built-in LTE, backup battery, and optional solar — FIPS 140-3 validated, TAA and NDAA compliant, orderable October 2026 (the telephoto remote in December). That closes a real gap for Hawaii state and county facilities that wanted the FedRAMP-authorized lineup but needed multisensor coverage on a corner or a camera on a remote lot with no power.
The software alerts land October 8 for every Command organization: concealment and grab-and-run detection for retail, door-blocked alerts that re-check before notifying, and a simpler wrong-way-driving alert for vehicle lanes and forklifts. Add to that a live mode for the unified timeline and a new Maps view that replaces floorplans with a scaled digital twin showing camera coverage cones and live events by location (beta in October). Our security cameras page covers the current seven families.
What are Verkada Sound Systems and Verkada Transportation?
Two entirely new product lines. Sound Systems brings PoE network speakers (a small desk speaker, an in-ceiling model, and an IP66 outdoor model) and network audio players that connect existing amplifiers to the cloud, all managed in Command by site and zone. It plays licensed background music through a Soundtrack integration, makes instant announcements by text-to-speech with automatic translation, and — the security angle — can escalate deterrence messages when a camera detects loitering. Resorts, retail, and campuses that currently run a separate PA vendor are the obvious fit; most devices ship in early October 2026.
Transportation puts ruggedized cameras and a 5G gateway on buses, ferries, and fleet vehicles, with fighting detection, GPS trip history, harsh-braking and speeding events, and one Command dashboard for buildings and fleet. Orderable November 30, 2026. For Hawaii the candidates are school and tour bus fleets, inter-island shipping yards, and county transit.
What else changed in Verkada Command for existing customers?
A lot, and most of it arrives October 8 with no new hardware. Verkada Guest gains an employee check-in type (badge into a reader, and the visit logs itself — useful for emergency headcounts) and face screening against existing camera watchlists before a badge prints. Intercoms gain AI receivers that answer routine questions like hours and directions, a here/away status that call flows respect, and the ability to forward credentials to a third-party access controller over OSDP — a migration path for buildings not ready to replace their existing system. Alarms gain one PIN per user across every site, a new alarm-user role, and smart auto re-arm. And Verkada opened a private beta of Catalyst, its official MCP server, which lets an organization query Command from AI assistants in plain language, plus a Skydio drone integration. If you run multiple sites across islands, the multi-site intrusion and Maps changes are the ones to ask us about first.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Verkada's September 2026 products be available? Most Command software features roll out October 8, 2026. The BP42 panel and BSP modules are orderable October 8; the AW33, TK74, Sound Systems, and government-grade multisensor and remote cameras arrive in October; Transportation on November 30; the CTB63 thermal series in limited availability in November. Dates are Verkada's and may change.
Is the BP42 a replacement for the BP52? No. The BP52 remains the large-site panel with 32 wired zones; the BP42 is a smaller ten-zone panel for retail, clinics, and branch offices, and it can also serve as a network expander for an outbuilding on a BP52 site.
Do I need new cameras to get the new AI alerts? No. Concealment, grab-and-run, door-blocked, and wrong-way-driving alerts are Command software features for existing organizations starting October 8, 2026. Verkada did not list a hardware requirement in the announcement.
Does the TK74 replace a separate card reader at the door? Yes. Like the TD-series intercoms it carries an onboard reader for cards, mobile credentials, and PIN, and adds Face Unlock and visitor QR codes, so a single device covers calling, credentialing, and video at the entry.
Can USP quote these new Verkada products in Hawaii? Yes. Unified Security Partners is a Honolulu-based Verkada Gold Partner since 2019 and can design, quote, provision, and support any of the new lines across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island as they reach availability; on-site mounting and wiring is performed by licensed contractor partners. Request a free assessment.