With the Apple Home app, you can easily and securely manage all your HomeKit-enabled accessories. Take your iPhone and ask Siri to turn off the lights. Take a look at your iPad and see who's at the front door. Control your home appliances from a distance with Apple TV. With the Home app, all your connected devices work much more efficiently.
One app for all smart home elements.
The Home app makes it very easy to set up and manage any compatible accessories. More than fifty partner companies around the world are developing devices that support the HomeKit platform, and more and more every day. These accessories have been tested and approved by Apple so you can use them safely.
Each room has its own rules.
The Home app groups your HomeKit accessories by room, so you can control all the devices in your room from one screen. For example, ask Siri to "Turn off the light in the bedroom" or "Set the temperature to 24 degrees." And with the help of 3D Touch, you can perform more complex tasks - dim the lights or adjust the thermostat. Just press and hold the desired icon.
Run the script with one gesture. Or a word.
Set up your own scripts to manage a group of devices with a single command. For example, create a "Leaving the house" scenario that turns off the lights, locks the door, and turns off the heating at the same time.
Create a script for the morning: he will open the curtains, turn on the heating and the coffee maker.
By your arrival, the script will open the garage and the front door - and turn on the light.
When you decide it's time for bed, the evening script will turn off the lights, lower the temperature in the room, and close all doors.
Now Siri is a switch. And a switch.
Siri knows what devices are connected to HomeKit in your home and keeps track of their status.1 You can ask Siri to turn on or off an individual device, dim the lights, change a song, or run one of your scripts. And if you have an Apple TV, you don't even have to be at home - for example, while on the road, you can tell Siri to install the "I'm at home" scenario. And when you arrive, the house will be light and warm, as if you never left.
Control your home from anywhere.
The Home app lets you control your smart home components remotely using your Apple TV or iPad.2 You can, for example, close your garage door, watch video from your entry camera, and even ask Siri to turn down the temperature on your thermostat—all the things you normally do, when using the application at home.
House on autopilot.
Apple TV and iPad let you run some smart home features automatically. For example, you can make accessories or scenarios turn on at a certain time, when sensors are triggered, or under other circumstances. One setting - and the house is in perfect order.
Geoposition
Set the light so that it turns on when you drive up to the gate.
Time
Set an alarm not only for yourself, but also for heating in the house.
Action
Let the motion sensor in the hallway turn on the light in the kitchen when you approach it.
Getting started is easy.
Connecting HomeKit accessories to the Home app is easy and secure. It is enough to touch the icon of the connected device or scan the HomeKit setup code located on the accessory or its instructions. And pair with iOS device will be created instantly. In addition, the Home app can recognize HomeKit accessories that have been previously set up through other apps.
Every iPhone user with a modern version of the software has a Home app designed to control smart home appliances. Alas, in Russia it is especially. A smart home sounds like something convenient, and we can get all the appliances in order to make our home smarter. Our colleagues at 9to5Mac have calculated how much a HomeKit compatible home can cost.
In the US, developers are offering a $4,000 HomeKit-compatible smart home appliance kit. Unfortunately, such a kit is not available to us, and we can only buy each device separately and install it in our home.
Let's start with the world. Philips Hue and Lutron Caseta smart bulbs work with HomeKit. Of course, it all depends on the number of rooms in the house and the required number of light bulbs. You can equip a three-room house with Hue bulbs for $430. $605 will have to pay for wall switches. A set of Lutron Caseta bulbs and switches will set you back about $930. On average, you will have to pay about $750 for lighting.
HomeKit-enabled smart thermostats cost between $130 and $250. Let's take $200 for the average price. $90 will have to pay for a pair of smart sockets. I don't think you want to make all sockets smarter.
Another $230 will need to be paid for a HomeKit-compatible smart lock. For $600, you can install a pair of smart ceiling fans. $200 for a HomeKit-powered security camera, and another $200 for a smart call with video calling and notification support.
Controlling your garage door with your iPhone is very convenient. For this you will have to pay about 175 dollars. A set of Elgato motion and climate sensors will cost $220, and a smart alarm will cost $300. You can add a smart smoke detector to this kit for $110.
Suppose we only need to close two windows with smart automatic blinds. We will pay $1200 for this. You can imagine how much you have to pay to close all the windows.
Spend another $150 on and you're done. We spent $4,425, not counting the iPhone and iPad we need to manage all these joys.
As you can see, the amount depends a lot on the size of your home and your needs. In addition, humidifiers, air conditioners, and various other HomeKit-enabled smart devices that you want to add will soon appear. But even without them, it is clear that you have to pay for convenience.
"Smart" HomeKit-enabled devices are beginning to fill the market more and more actively. At the same time, most of these devices can already be purchased, although a month ago such devices could only be pre-ordered. In this article, we've rounded up the top five HomeKit-enabled home appliances from a wide range of options that have hit the market over the past month.
HomeKit is Apple's smart home system, announced last year along with iOS 8 at the WWDC 2014 developer conference. Apple's unique development was conceived as the control center for all smart appliances, be it a light bulb, a door lock or a thermostat. Directly from their iPhone or iPad, users get the opportunity to control appliances installed in the house, adjusting settings and setting certain work scenarios.
Despite the fact that manufacturers of “smart appliances” received access to HomeKit in September 2014, the first ready-made devices with support for this system appeared only in the spring of this year. Some of them were only announced, however, many devices became available for purchase by July. If you're interested in equipping your home with HomeKit-enabled smart devices, below is a list of compatible appliances available for purchase right now.
Ecobee 3
The Ecobee 3 set is considered to be one of the best solutions for equipping a home with a "smart" temperature control system. A small Canadian company focused specifically on thermostats, while their competitors tried to start manufacturing other smart home devices. This decision turned out to be the right one, and now the Ecobee name is associated with the highest quality thermostats with the prefix "smart".
The Ecobee 3 thermostat is designed for houses and apartments with more than one room. Sensors installed remotely from each other continuously record temperature changes in the house, allowing users to adjust the temperature directly from their iPhone or iPad using a special application. Like other HomeKit-compatible devices, Ecobee 3 can work with Siri. For example, by telling the voice assistant: "I'm going to bed", you will automatically ask the Ecobee 3 sensors to slightly lower the temperature in the room.
You can buy the Ecobee 3 for $249 from the Apple Store, Amazon, or the official Ecobee website.
Honeywell Lyric
Another HomeKit-enabled thermostat available for purchase right now. From the Lyric we have considered above, it differs only in appearance. In general, the functionality of the devices is similar - the temperature in the house changes using a special application, or automatically, based on pre-set settings.
The developers of Lyric especially note that their thermostat allows you to save a lot if you have a manual adjustment of the heating system at home. At the same time, you will not have to constantly monitor temperature changes in the apartment - once the application is configured, it will automatically regulate the entire process.
Buy Lyric for $279.99 on Honeywell's official website
Philips Hue
Philips Hue are high-tech light bulbs that can be controlled using a dedicated app for iPhone or iPad. Such light bulbs began to be sold even before the announcement of the HomeKit smart home system by Apple, however, with its release, Philips Hue had the opportunity to gain a second life.
Right from their mobile device, Philips Hue owners can control how smart bulbs work, as well as their color, brightness and synchronization with other bulbs. It is especially pleasing that Philips approached the creation of an application for the device with special love, implementing “plots” in it. With just one click on the app, you can reconfigure your existing Philips Hue bulbs to a specific theme, such as "romantic dinner" or "sunrise".
Philips Hue available for $199.95 on Amazon and Apple Online Store
Withings Home
Withings Home is a fixed camera that is both a security monitoring system and a handy webcam. Home offers its owners extremely high quality recording, the ability to work in night mode with time-lapse video recording, a motion sensor, two microphones and even air quality monitoring. The latter function is extremely interesting, because at the slightest deviation from the norm, which can happen, for example, during a fire or gas leak, Home signals this to its owner on the iPhone or iPad.
HomeKit support allows Home to send other information to Apple mobile devices. For example, right from the Home application, you can monitor the sleep of a child in the next room, which essentially makes the Withings device an excellent baby monitor.
Buy Home for $199.95 on Withings official website
Tempo
Blue Maestro's Tempo is a versatile, lightweight environmental monitoring device. When paired with an iPhone or iPad, Tempo owners can track humidity, barometric pressure, temperature and more in small spaces with extreme accuracy.
Smart bulbs, thermostats, door locks have all been around for a long time. Each device has its own application, with which it can be controlled. Apple's task is to make it all work together, and as simply and safely as possible for the user.
This is what the platform was created for. With its help, you can connect, combine and control all the smart appliances in the house, having an iOS device or Apple TV at hand. HomeKit was presented at WWDC-2014, in two years the number of accessories has grown, and Apple has finished the technology. I'll tell you how it all works and whether it is possible to assemble it yourself from Apple.
HomeKit: what is it
pocketlint.comSo you bought some smart bulbs, everything works great, they can be controlled using an iOS application. “And why do I need this HomeKit?” - you ask.
But what if you have not only light bulbs, but also blinds and a thermostat, for example? Without HomeKit, it will be just a set of pieces of hardware that cannot be controlled using a single interface. They will not be able to interact with each other, which means that they cannot be configured for a specific work scenario. For example, every day at 9 pm, the lights should turn on and the blinds closed. Instead, you will have to go into the application of each device and manually turn everything on and off from there. And okay, if there are a couple of such devices, but what if there are six of them in each room? This is at least inconvenient. With HomeKit, all devices can easily communicate with each other.
It's great that Siri is involved in device management. An assistant can be asked to turn on the light in the garage or, by saying “Good morning”, start performing many actions tied to this phrase. The blinds will open, coffee will begin to brew, and so on. At the same time, Siri does not send you to the coffee maker application, everything happens in the familiar assistant interface. It is important that the protocol by which smart things are connected is automatically encrypted, which means that no one can get to your data and gain control over smart appliances in the house.
It's already working
gigaom.com More than 50 brands are already releasing HomeKit-enabled gadgets. Now any manufacturer can make their device compatible with this platform. Apple must approve the device, after which it can be controlled using iOS devices and Apple TV.
The company showed a more advanced smart home control system, in iOS 10 a new Home application appeared (more on that later). Now the possibilities of HomeKit have become closer to both users and developers, so more smart devices should be expected by the release of the new iOS.
Which Apple products work with HomeKit
video.foxbusiness.com HomeKit works with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 8.1 or later. You can also control your smart home from your Apple Watch starting with watchOS 2. With an Apple TV 3rd generation or later, you can control all your devices from a distance using Siri. Simply sign in to iCloud with your Apple ID.
What smart devices can you buy right now
HomeKit-enabled devices went on sale in June 2015. Their packaging should show such an icon.
Many devices are already available, a separate page on the Apple website is dedicated to them. I selected the most interesting, in my opinion.
August Doorbell Cam
uncova.com Smart call with built-in camera. Even while away from home, you will see who came to you, and the device will record the date and time.
Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt
sandandsisal.com A door lock that, in addition to the key we are used to, can be opened using an iPhone or a code. In addition, the lock can be controlled using Siri, asking, for example, to lock the door every evening.
Withings Aura
withings.com An intelligent system that monitors and improves sleep quality. The device collects data about your sleep (phases, duration), and also analyzes the external environment: air temperature, noise level, lighting. Works as a smart alarm clock - it will wake you up during REM sleep.
Philips Hue
theverge.com With these bulbs, you can create your own smart lighting system by combining up to 50 bulbs. Accordingly, with the help of Siri, you can control the lighting throughout the house and in the garage, create scenarios, adjust the color of the lamps, and so on.
Eve Energy
imore.com By itself, Eve Energy is not a smart device, but it turns an outlet into such a device. First, it allows you to save money by monitoring your electricity consumption and sending detailed statistics to your iPhone. Secondly, you can remotely stop the current consumption. That is, if you forgot to turn off the iron, this can be done even at a distance.
Why you need the Home app
tech.firstpost.com With the release of iOS 10, smart home control will become even easier and more convenient. At WWDC-2016, Apple did what HomeKit fans have been waiting for for a long time - introduced the Home application. This is a hub that allows you to connect and control all the smart devices in the house.
In the application, you can manage both one device and a group, set up scenarios and much more. For example, the script "I'm home" opens the door, and "Goodnight" turns off the lights and closes the blinds. Moreover, it is not even necessary to launch the application or ask Siri: the script can be activated depending on your geolocation: the door will open as soon as you approach it.
Branded applications are no longer needed; Home and Siri take over control. HomeKit has evolved from an interesting but obscure platform to a system that anyone can use.
What's next
In my opinion, Apple is moving in the right direction. After the presentation of the company at WWDC-2016, there was an understanding of how Apple sees a smart home, and it is already clear that it is going to make the interaction between the user and devices as comfortable as possible. Only the first beta of iOS 10 is available right now, so it's hard to evaluate the capabilities of the Home app. However, it remains to wait only two months before the release: let's see what happens as a result.
In any case, now everyone has everything to build their own smart home. And such a system will cost much cheaper than analogues existing on the market.
In the summer of 2014, at WWDC 2014, Apple introduced its smart home service. Apple HomeKit, which is designed to simplify communication between your smart devices from different manufacturers by combining their control into one "remote" - your Iphone, Ipad, Apple Watch or Apple TV.
"What is it for at all?" - you ask, but the answer is as simple as possible: let's say you have smart light bulbs that are controlled by an application for IOS, but what if you have not only light bulbs, but also blinds, a thermostat and smart sockets? Of course, each of the devices will have its own application, and they will not be able to interact with each other, as well as create any kind of collaboration scenario. To remedy this situation, Apple HomeKit was created, which allows you to manage all the devices of an automated (yes, not smart, namely automated) home using a single interface, as well as create work scenarios in which, for example, at 10 pm the blinds automatically close , the floor heating is switched on and the brightness of the light is reduced to 25%.
Responsible for managing HomeKit Siri, which receives a command from you and sends it to one or more devices at once. For example, by saying “Good night” to Siri, you can trigger a lot of actions related to this phrase: the blinds will close, the main light will turn off, and the bedside lamp will turn on. At the same time, Siri does not send you to the lighting application, everything happens in the familiar assistant interface.
HomeKit immediately attracted the attention of hundreds of developers and manufacturers who are now releasing devices for the system " House" from Apple. Any manufacturer can make their device compatible with this platform, Apple only has to approve the device and certify it with the mark " Works with Apple HomeKit", after which it can be controlled using iOS devices or Apple TV.
There are already a huge number of accessories for the Apple automated home, such as lights, locks, thermostats, blinds, alarms, outlets, weather stations, cameras, doorbells, sensors, air purifiers, and many more.
A few interesting Apple HomeKit devices that seem to me to be among the best are shown below:
Ecobee3
Ecobee 3 is a smart and automated thermostat, a number of functions of which can be seen below:
- Setting the temperature regime in each individual room.
- Setting the humidity level and the operation of ventilation systems.
- Up-to-date weather forecast up to 4 days ahead with recommendations for calibrating the entire system.
- Flexible setting of the operation schedule for each circuit and a separate module. But don't say you weren't warned not to go where you shouldn't.
- You left the apartment Ecobee3 put the climate control into a state of "suspended animation" so as not to heat empty rooms in vain. And he will maintain the set regime even before the children arrive from school, even for the entire vacation period, regardless of how far the owner has gone.
Smart lock August. In addition to it, you can buy the August Doorbell Cam, which will make it possible even when you are away from home to see who came to you, and the device will record the date and time.
Withings Aura
An intelligent system that monitors and improves sleep quality. Aura collects data about your sleep (phases, duration), and also analyzes the external environment: air temperature, noise level, lighting. Works as a smart alarm clock - it will wake you up during REM sleep.
Elgato Eve
Elgato Eve– a family of devices and sensors that interact with the HomeKit system.
Eve Door & Window. The sensor determines whether the window or door is closed or not. Of course, the sensor is more responsible for the safety of the home than for comfort.
Eve Room– indoor wireless climate sensor that captures data such as air quality, temperature and humidity.
Elgato Eve Energy- smart sockets, there have been sockets on the market for a long time that evaluate the power consumption of devices. This is exactly the task that the Eve Energy socket is designed to perform, in this case the data is sent via HomeKit, available for further analysis.
The last component of the Eve line is the weather station. lgato Eve Weather collects weather data such as air pressure, temperature and humidity. The sensor is housed in an IPX3 waterproof housing, which is essential for a weather station, as the Eve Weather housing will be exposed to adverse environmental conditions, including wind and moisture.
Nanoleaf Aurora
This is a smart lighting system. From the "triangles" you can assemble anything, there are only 9 "cells" in the kit, but in general up to 30 are supported.
Philips Hue
With these bulbs, you can create your own intelligent lighting system by combining up to 50 bulbs. Accordingly, with the help of Siri, you can control the lighting throughout the house and in the garage, create scenarios, adjust the color of the lamps, and so on.
Home app
"Home" groups accessories by room, so you can control all the appliances in one room. For example, tell Siri: "Turn on the light in the bedroom" or "Set the temperature to 24 degrees." You can perform more complex tasks - dim the lights or adjust the thermostat.
Set up your own scripts to manage a group of devices with a single command. For example, create an "I'm leaving the house" script that turns off the lights, locks the door, and lowers the temperature at the same time.
Using Apple TV, you can close doors, turn on the video from the security camera at the front door, or, for example, run a script - remotely from your iOS device. As if you were at home.
What is the result?
In my opinion, Apple is moving in the right direction. After the presentation of the company on WWDC-2016 there was an understanding of how Apple sees a smart home, and it is already clear that it is going to make the interaction of the user and devices as comfortable as possible. Post-release iOS 10 the work and possibilities of the "House" have become more extensive and more competently thought out.
At this stage in the development of "smart" houses, everyone has everything to build their own smart home. And such a system will cost much cheaper than analogues existing on the market.
Apple promises complete system security and provides a really comfortable and convenient service and thoughtful service, however, as always with the guys from Cupertino.
