HomeKit

One of the valuable updates that arrived with iOS 16 this fall is an overhauled Home app. Additions and changes in the fresh experience include a new UI and iconography, customizable sections, fresh wallpapers, a more seamless experience, and more. Now Apple has shared how it approached the big Home app update in an interview.

The LIFX Mini White is one of the lowest costs HomeKit bulbs on the market today, with a price tag under just $20. It’s compatible with Apple’s HomeKit and doesn’t require a hub to connect to your Wi-Fi network. At that price point, it’s hard not to be tempted by this smart light if you’re looking for an inexpensive way to try out some Internet-connected lighting in your home. But as with any budget product, there are sacrifices made in order to meet such a low price point, especially when it comes to color options.

One of the main highlights of iOS 16 is the redesigned Home app, which is part of the Apple’s efforts to push HomeKit and the new Matter standard for smart home devices. Now with iOS 16.2 beta, the company is finally introducing the promised new architecture to the Home app, which is expected to make the experience more reliable for users.

Back in May, IKEA teased an overhauled smart home hub with Matter support for cross-platform connectivity, plus a brand-new app for an improved experience with its smart home products. Now early listings for the DIRIGERA have popped up giving us a look at the price, release date, and more.

Update 10/24: IKEA has shared the official launch date of the DIRIGERA smart home hub and price for the US with 9to5Mac.

I’ve been a fan of Meross since they first came out with their early HomeKit products. They’re low cost, spread across a variety of product types, and generally work well. Meross recently released a new look Wi-Fi oil diffuser with HomeKit support, and it’s a great way to start getting your home ready for fall weather and soon – the Christmas holiday season. 

HomeKit Secure Video (HKSV) is Apple’s answer for bringing privacy to indoor and outdoor cameras by processing footage locally for person and animal detection and features end-to-end encryption. However, the capability has a number of technical requirements that can make it a challenge to implement. After planning to bring HKSV to its existing Smart Video Doorbell via a software update, Netatmo has made the difficult decision to skip the feature, here’s why.

As I’ve been building a new home, one of the things I’ve had in the back of my mind is avoiding the permanent installation of as many things as possible that’ll be outdated as Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth networks evolve. Just in the past few years, we’re seeing Matter and Thread become a key part of the smart home of the future as well. When I was meeting with my builder and electrician, we talked about what kind of outlets we wanted. They asked if I wanted to use some that had various smart home technologies built in like HomeKit or Alexa, and I said, no, give me “dumb outlets.” I really like using add-on adapters so I can easily upgrade them in the future. In preparation for our new outdoor patio, I picked up the Minoston Outdoor Smart Plug to handle automating the outdoor outlets.

Eve is out with its third-gen HomeKit Light Switch today with two notable upgrades – Thread support and compatibility with 3-way switch setups by just adding one of the new switches. Read on for all the details on this handy future-ready smart home light switch.

The Home app has gotten some great updates in iOS 16 with an overhauled design. Specific changes include a new UI and iconography, fresh wallpapers, improved customizability, and more. Let’s look at how to reorder Home app rooms and sections for a custom layout.

If you like using Google and Apple smart home products, you need to be using the Starling Home Hub. In my original review, I noted that it was a streamlined and turnkey way to add all of your Nest products to HomeKit. Over the past two and a half years, the team behind the product has continued to release updates to make the product even better. Today, version 12.0 of the firmware adds support for the new Nest doorbell that includes continuous recording.

When Apple announced HomeKit Secure Video, one of the first products to be desired by customers was a doorbell. Ring doorbells had become very popular, but customers wanted an option that integrated nicely with HomeKit and Apple products and provided an end-to-end encryption option for recording. The idea that a smart doorbell would be able to show you who was at your front door before even opening it up seemed like something out of a science-fiction novel a few decades ago, but now, there are multiple products and platforms that offer this service. Today, I want to look at the current state of HomeKit doorbells, and what Apple should do to build out the category.

For severely disabled people, it’s no exaggeration to say that Apple Accessibility transforms lives – but it can be difficult to appreciate the impact that even minor-sounding changes can make until you see it for yourself.

Colin Hughes is a former TV producer and now disability campaigner who kindly showed me around his home to see how he uses both Accessibility features and HomeKit control to maximize the independence he retains over his daily life …

The long-running push for the launch of the new smart home standard Matter is taking a big step forward. The Connectivity Standards Alliance announced today that it, along with members of the alliance, are formally releasing the Matter 1.0 standard and certification program.

This opens the door to official product certification for the first Matter accessories, and it comes as the latest iOS 16.1 betas add support for the technology.

Rachio, maker of a popular smart sprinkler controller, has announced that it will no longer support HomeKit going forward. This decision comes after the company faced a number of challenges with its HomeKit integration, prompting complaints from users and a multi-month investigation.

The world of smart home lighting is getting more and more crowded. HomeKit-enabled products are popping up left and right, but that’s not always a bad thing. There are plenty of great options out there now, and Nanoleaf is one of them. Today, we’ll be looking at the newest addition to their lineup: the Nanoleaf Essentials A19 Smart Bulb! If you only read one thing about this review, know this: It’s one of the only HomeKit bulbs with Thread support.

Long-range wireless power has been a long-term dream, where a single charger in a single location in our home, can beam power to all of our portable devices. That simply isn’t possible given existing technologies, but smart lock company Alfred has now turned one small part of the dream into reality.

However, rather than use RF energy – which has been the main approach to date – the company has instead turned to infrared …

Smart plugs are easy to use and a great way to make your home smarter. But what if you’re looking for something that is not as expensive? There are many brands of smart plugs out there, including TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug Mini. This is one of the best values on the market when it comes to HomeKit compatible smart plugs. Not only does this plug have a low price, but it’s also compact enough that it will not block other outlets when placed next to each other. Let’s take a look at the HomeKit edition of the TP-Link Smart Plug Mini.

Yale has announced that it will launch a new range of Matter-compatible smart locks in the fall – which are upgraded versions of its existing Assure Lock range. Matter support is likely to be added some time after the initial launch.

You’ll be able to open two of the models with your voice, iPhone, Apple Watch, keypad code, or physical key; the other two models lack the physical key slot …

Thread continues to be the theme of HomeKit in 2022, with it becoming a key future-proofing checkbox I am looking for with all new HomeKit products. Currently, there’s only one HomeKit-enabled air purifier with Thread, and that is the Airversa Air Purifier. I’ve had it in place for a few weeks, and it’s quickly become my favorite HomeKit-enabled air purifier.