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HomeKit

1,085 'HomeKit' stories June 2014 - February 2020
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HomeKit is Apple's home automation framework that lets you control connected accessories from your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, HomePod, and Siri.

Your home at your command.

What is HomeKit / Apple Home?

Along with several other new APIs for developers, Apple announced HomeKit in June 2014, which allows all home automation accessories/devices to work together in harmony with iOS. The API allows home automation developers to centralize all home automation without needing separate apps to access each device’s specific features. These devices include locks, lights, cameras, doors, thermostats, plugs, switches, and more.

HomeKit allows for secure pairing with devices and the ability to control individual devices. It also makes it possible to group several home automation devices into scenes that allow for easier control of any automation device in specific situations. One of the coolest features available with HomeKit is the ability to control any home automation accessory with Siri based on certain commands or scenes previously configured with these devices.

In 2016, Apple introduced a new Home app that came with a modern look, relatively easy-to-use controls, and access to accessories and scenes from anywhere on iOS 10. Apple’s new built-in Home app arrived on the iPhone’s Home screen, plus you can access a ton of functions from the Lock screen or anywhere on iOS from the new Control Center once you have a HomeKit accessory set up.

In 2018, Apple released the HomePod. It was a way to interact with your connected home devices through Siri using a standalone device.

In 2020, Apple announced that tvOS 14 would gain access to the Home app. iOS 14 is also bringing improvement to the Home app UI.

HomeKit Secure Video

With iOS 13, Apple announced HomeKit Secure Video.

Footage from home security cameras contains your most personal and sensitive data. With HomeKit Secure Video, activity detected by supported cameras is privately analyzed by your home hub using on‑device intelligence to determine if people, pets, or cars are present. When important activity is detected, you and anyone you share your Home app with will receive a rich notification that lets you view the clip right from the Lock Screen. Recorded video is available to view for ten days from the Home app. It’s securely stored for free in supported iCloud accounts and doesn’t count against your storage limit.

While the rollout has been slow, Logitech, Arlo, Netatmo, and Eufy are among the early standouts. With recent privacy issues with Ring, HomeKit Secure Video is likely to continue to grow in popularity. One key benefit with Secure Video is that it works with your existing iCloud storage (200GB and up plan), so you don’t have an extra monthly fee for storage.

HomeKit Router

HomeKit Router was also announced with iOS 13, but it wasn’t released until early 2020. The idea behind the feature is you can give granular control to smart home enabled devices to control where on the internet they can reach.

eero was the first company to roll out support in for HomeKit Router.

With Apple HomeKit, eero gives you even more protection of your HomeKit accessories and an easy way to manage what they are allowed to communicate with in your home and through the internet.

There are three levels of security Apple offers for accessories paired with HomeKit routers:

  • Restrict to Home: Most secure. Your accessory can interact only with HomeKit through your Apple devices. The accessory won’t connect to the Internet or any local devices, so any third-party services, like firmware updates, might be blocked.
  • Automatic: Default security. Your accessory can communicate with HomeKit and connections recommended by its manufacturer.
  • No Restriction: Least secure. This setting bypasses the secure router and allows your accessory to interact with any device in your network or Internet-based service.

How Do You Use HomeKit?

Homekit app

HomeKit devices can be controlled from iPad, iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and HomePod. A 4th generation Apple TV (or newer) is an essential Apple smart home device as it acts as a bridge over iCloud to allow access to your devices when away from home.

9to5Mac’s Bradley Chambers does a regular column about the “Apple Home” lifestyle in his HomeKit Weekly column.

HomeKit Weekly: Three reasons to consider VOCOlinc smart plugs

Avatar for Bradley C Feb 21 2020 - 6:00 am PT
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VOCOlink homekit outlet

I’ve been using HomeKit for many years, and one of the things I can’t stop buying is outlet switches. In my house, we tend to use lamps a lot more than overhead lights, so when paired with LED bulbs, they make for an energy-efficient way to shine light in hour home. Over the years, I’ve tried multiple HomeKit compatible outlets, and I’ve finally found one that feels like it was made for HomeKit, and it’s thankfully, the least expensive one I’ve tried. Are you looking for the best HomeKit outlet? Read on to find out more.
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HomeCam

HomeCam 2.0 brings enhanced viewing of HomeKit cameras on iOS, Apple Watch, and Apple TV

Avatar for Bradley C Feb 20 2020 - 12:00 am PT
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Video in the HomeKit ecosystem has come a long way in recent years. As we finished up 2019, we started seeing a rollout of HomeKit Secure Video. As we head into 2020, we’re waiting on a new Doorbell from abode and a new HomeKit Secure Video only option from Eve. As someone who has a lot of devices in the Home app, video cameras can easily get buried. If you have a number of HomeKit cameras, you’ll want to check out HomeCam.
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[Update: Arlo Pro 3 support added] Hands-on: Arlo Pro 2 HomeKit support is a step in the right direction

Avatar for Jeff Benjamin Feb 19 2020 - 8:52 am PT
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On Monday Arlo released its version 2.7.13 update to add HomeKit support to its security cameras. Needless to say, this is a highly-anticipated feature that Arlo users within the iOS ecosystem have been waiting on for quite some time. Was it worth the wait? Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for the details.


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Apple patent describes a truly smart home that can configure itself

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Feb 13 2020 - 5:44 am PT
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A truly smart home should configure itself

An Apple patent application published today describes how a truly smart home could configure itself.

Anyone who has ever set up new smart home devices will know that, even with HomeKit, it can be a fiddly and sometimes frustrating experience. When you add a physical smart light switch, for example, telling the app which light(s) it controls isn’t the most user-friendly of experiences…


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Review: Starling Home Hub is a turn-key solution to add Nest products to HomeKit

Avatar for Bradley C Feb 2 2020 - 6:00 am PT
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Enable Nest on HomeKit

When I moved into my house almost seven years ago, HomeKit hadn’t even been announced yet. What was available at the time was a Nest Thermostat. A friend of mine had one, and he was raving out their energy savings. I had one pre-installed when our main HVAC unit was installed. I eventually added another one to our upstairs unit, and have been very happy with them.


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Jason Snell’s Six Colors annual Apple report card: Wearables ace it, software quality needs summer school

Avatar for Zac Hall Jan 31 2020 - 12:23 pm PT
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Jason Snell has published his annual Six Colors report card covering Apple’s 2019 performance, and this year it includes responses from me and my 9to5Mac colleague Benjamin Mayo. Go read it now and come back!

Final grades are based on ratings from 65 participants that Jason describes as “writers, editors, developers, podcasters, and other people who spend an awful lot of time thinking about Apple.” Apple’s Wearables category ranks highest (4.6/5) while Software Quality and Apple TV tie for worst (2.7/5).


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HomeKit Weekly: Why HomePod needs its iPod mini moment

Avatar for Bradley C Jan 30 2020 - 6:00 am PT
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stereo-paired HomePods

So much of Apple’s history is tied up between two periods: Pre-iPod and Post-iPod. The iPod took Apple from a computer company, and it set them up to become a consumer electronics company that would go on to become one of the most valuable companies in the world. What most people forget is that the iPod didn’t become the iPod until the iPod mini was released. The original iPod was $399, where the iPod mini had a lower price of $249.

Despite holding including 4GB of storage compared to the 20GB model that the “Classic” introduced that year, the iPod mini is what caused the iPod line to take off. The HomePod is at that exact point in its timeline. The HomePod needs its iPod mini moment. 
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HomeKit Weekly: Apple should allow selective access to HomeKit devices for Family Sharing

Avatar for Bradley C Jan 24 2020 - 9:00 am PT
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HomeKit Weekly

HomeKit is my chosen platform for my smart home, but there are still ways that Apple could expand its platform to grow with its users as their home grows, and as their families change. While Apple allows you to invite people in your family to have access to your home as well as invite guests. My current issue is that I want to give my kid’s selective access to specific devices, but not them all. Selective device sharing is something Apple should add to HomeKit.
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Robin ProLine is the first HomeKit Secure Video doorbell

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jan 17 2020 - 5:06 am PT
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The Robin team today announced that its ProLine Compact Video Doorbell now support HomeKit Secure Video, having received certification sign-off from Apple earlier this week. Secure Video integration allows motion clips to be automatically saved to the user’s iCloud account.

Robin has been leading the charge in the HomeKit doorbell space, being the first company to ship a HomeKit compatible doorbell of any kind last year. However, the doorbells come at a (literal) cost.


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