What is Apple HomeKit?
Apple HomeKit is a smart home automation platform that allows users to control their home appliances, like lights, locks, thermostats, doorbells, garage doors, sprinklers and more. For example, you can use the home app to turn on your lights from your phone or send a notification when someone rings your doorbell.
The purpose is to make it easier for smart home systems to be set up in a user’s home all from one app removing the issue of multiple apps or complex set ups.
HomeKit devices can be grouped into one room or zone and controlled from one device.
All the smart devices can be accessed remotely via the home app on iOS devices as well as being able to control the devices through Apple TV.
How does HomeKit work?
Apple Home uses both Bluetooth and WIFI to allow the iOS device to communicate with the smart devices and allow you to control them.
The Apple Home app acts as the controller for all the smart devices in your home (provided they are HomeKit compatible) with HomeKit acting as a framework which links smart home products together, enhancing the capabilities of the individual products as they become a component in the network of the smart home.
Benefits of using HomeKit
- It is easy to install and use therefore there are minimal complications in the set-up process
- Users can personalise their smart home using ‘scenes’ which trigger different processes at once in reaction to a command, pre-set time, or motion sensors
- The Apple Home app has a clean interface which is easy to navigate and to use
What are HomeKit Scenes?
Scenes are when HomeKit is programmed to run an automation in relation to a variety of pre-set criteria including the time of day, motion sensors, or even just when the user arrives home, programming the devices to what you want when you want.
This could be a morning scene which turns lights on, opens blinds and turns on the heating at a certain time of the users choosing or it could be that the lights turn on when the user arrives home
These scenes can also be triggered by the user selecting them on the home app or by voice command as HomeKit is also Siri compatible.
Brands we recommend for HomeKit
Aqara:
Offers a wide range of smart devices including switches, controllers, smart locks, cameras, and sensors. You can control all aspects of your smart home with Aqara products and all from the Apple Home app which allows you to connect all these devices together and control them easily.
Fibaro:
Fibaro offers a range of products to create the full smart home experience, providing products such as smart controllers, climate control, sensors etc... With the HomeKit compatible they help to maximise your smart home’s potential.
Nanoleaf:
This is a smart home lighting company, with colour changing bulbs, panels and LED strips all being supplied. The panels are offered in triangles, hexagons and squares with your HomeKit being able to control all of them through the home app.
Lightwave:
Lighwave products allows monitoring of energy usage and greater control of lighting, heating and power via a range of easy to install devices. Its smart dimmers can replace existing light switches and allow a world of smart lighting possibilities. This solution can be proven to be cost-effective in the long term providing compatibility with feature lighting or light fittings.
