HomeKit

Half a year after its debut, the Level Lock+ continues to stand out amongst the competition for its unique, minimalistic design, and ease of installation. Level Home’s smart lock is also one of just a handful of smart locks that support Apple Home Key – a feature introduced with iOS 15 that allows for NFC control via an Apple Watch or iPhone.

Is this Level Lock+ the best smart lock for users knee-deep in the Apple ecosystem? Watch my hands-on video review for the details.

One of the biggest challenges with a smart home is knowing…when you’ve gone too far with your gear purchases and your home is so heavily tied to a smart home platform that without access to Wi-Fi, your home is fundamentally useless. For this week’s edition of HomeKit Weekly, I want to explain how I’ve tackled this problem and how to know when too much HomeKit is just too much.

Having recently moved into a new home, I wanted to set up HomeKit lights in the kitchen that would turn on and off automatically. Ideally. So I got some Philips Hue bulbs, an Eve motion sensor, and did the obvious thing with automations in HomeKit.

The result was unsatisfactory. Here’s why, and how I eventually got my smart home vision to become a reality, with the help of Homebridge …

As a cheaper option in the smart light bulbs space, Wiz products are relatively popular. However, they have not supported HomeKit (only Siri Shortcuts) and have been a less-than-ideal option for Apple Home ecosystem users. Unofficial support was previously made possible via Homebridge.

However, this week, Wiz is rolling out Matter support for many of its newer bulb models (via The Verge). This brings official support for these accessories to Apple Home for the first time.

Aqara is one of the best value brands for HomeKit products today. You can add its M2 hub as your starter kit, and then start layering on devices like the low-cost water leak sensor, motion sensor, and door sensors. Aqara continues to innovate with products that work great with HomeKit, and today, they’ve released a brand new product. The Aqara Presence Sensor FP2 is a new millimeter wave motion sensor that is taking smart home automation to the next level. This new motion sensor device is loaded with features that make it one of the most versatile and precise sensors on the market today. It does require an Aqara hub, but thankfully, there are plenty of options like the M2 I listed above or the M1S hub.

An NSO zero-click iPhone hack worked by gaining access to HomeKit on the device, but it was blocked by those using Apple’s Lockdown Mode security feature, with the phone alerting them to the access attempt.

However, two other NSO zero-click attacks seemingly succeeded – both exploiting vulnerabilities in the Find My app …

Back in November 2022, Meross announced the Meross MSS115. It was one of the first smart plugs with Matter support that was available to purchase. After a few months at the preorder stage, I finally got my hands on the product and was able to spend some time with it. Is it better than other products that focus on HomeKit only? Let’s dive in.

As smart home technology continues to evolve and grow in popularity, manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to make their products more versatile and convenient for users. One such company is Switchbot, known for its innovative Button pusher devices that allow users to automate non-smart home devices with ease. Until recently, Switchbot products were not compatible with Apple’s HomeKit without the use of a Homebridge setup. However, with the emergence of Matter, a new smart home connectivity standard, that’s all about to change with SwitchBot Hub 2.

One of the industries I have some prior experience with is home and business security systems. In my first job out of college, I helped an independent telephone company launch a new business line offering installation and monitoring services. It’s been an industry I’ve followed since then. In my home, I currently use the abode alarm system, and I love it. It offers HomeKit compatibility as well. What if you invested in a Nest Secure system or are using the Nest Smoke Alarms and want HomeKit compatibility and 24/7 monitoring? Google discontinued support on the Nest Secure in favor of the new ADT partnership, and there is no stand-alone smoke detector monitoring offered by Google. That’s the bridge the new service from the Starling Home Hub manufacturer aims to offer with Starling Protect.

Late last year, Philips Hue Matter support was said to be coming “by March 2023.” With just a few days left before that deadline, the company has now said that the release date has been put back to an unspecified time.

It’s the latest delay to hit the industry-wide Matter standard, which was itself pushed back from a planned 2020 launch to late 2022 …

Smart doorbells have become a popular option for homeowners who want to keep an eye on their front door while also triggering some HomeKit automation as well. Battery-powered doorbells are easy to install and offer a range of features that make them an excellent alternative to traditional wired doorbells. In this week’s HomeKit Weekly, we’ll look at the benefits of battery-powered doorbells and review the Aqara G4 video doorbell, a wireless smart doorbell that offers a range of features and benefits for folks looking for an easy-to-install HomeKit doorbell.

Last fall Nanoleaf announced that it would be bringing Matter to its Essentials smart lighting lineup along with launching some new bulb types. Now the latest products have arrived with Thread/Matter for the smart A19 and Lightstrip with the GU10, BR30 bulbs, and Recessed Downlight in the wings.

I’ve always been paranoid about water damage in my home. We have hardwood floors throughout our home. If you’re a homeowner, you know the cost of repairing them if you have water damage. A slow drip from a leaky sink can turn into thousands of dollars in repair costs. Thankfully, with a HomeKit-enabled flood sensor from FIBARO, you can easily know when there’s water where there shouldn’t be before it turns into a major issue. Read on to learn why the FIBARO water leak sensor is the ideal option to use under all of your sinks.

The launch of the Matter smart home standard has hit a few speed bumps along, and it’s just been dealt another blow. As reported by The Verge, Belkin’s Wemo smart home brand has made the decision to “pause development of Matter smart home devices.”

I’ve tried a number of smart locks over the years. I’ve typically always landed on the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock as my go-to recommendation because it was easy to install, didn’t require you to use a new key, and also let the outside deadbolt remain the same to fit in with the exterior of your home. I recently installed the Level Lock+ with Home Key support – keep reading to learn if it’s the best smart lock on the market.

Homebridge is an open-source platform that allows you to control and automate your home using Apple’s HomeKit technology, even if the devices don’t support it natively. While it can be run on countless devices for free, there are times when you want a plug-and-play solution that’s low-powered and can be tucked out of the way. This problem is exactly what the IONEXX XOME Homebridge for HomeKit aims to solve.

Earlier this month, we learned more about the upcoming Sonos premium speakers that the company is close to launching. Now the Era 300 and 100 have been fully leaked. Here’s an early look at both new speakers with official images, specs, pricing details, and more.

One of the hardest things to balance when it comes to technology in the home is striking the happy medium between stylish and functional. Shades are a perfect example of that. Every technology person wants the latest bells and whistles, while someone who cares about design wants something that looks like it contains no technology. I recently installed a couple of the HomeKit-compatible SmartWings shades, and it’s quickly become one of my favorite smart home products. In this week’s HomeKit Weekly, we will be taking a closer look at the SmartWing HomeKit shade, diving into its features, benefits, and why they are designer-approved.