In our ongoing discussion of the Internet of Things, we’ve talked a little about the hubs you’ll need to make your smart devices work together. In particular, we’ve used (and like!) the Wink Hub. But meanwhile Apple first rolled out HomeKit with OS 8 in September 2014, which ideally was meant to supplant the need for a hub altogether. We’ve waxed poetic about how well the Amazon Echo’s voice recognition works with a hub to control smart home devices. If you have an iPhone or iPad, theoretically you should be able to talk to Siri and issue commands that turn on, shut down, or tweak your smart home devices—no Amazon Echo or hub needed. If you’ve paid upwards of $500 for a device, it certainly would be nice if it could do a few chores around the house… right?
According to the press release announcing the arrival of the Apple HomeKit:
HomeKit connects your home devices safely and seamlessly so you can better manage accessories like lights, thermostats, door locks and garage doors. By delivering a common protocol, HomeKit securely pairs and allows easy control over individual or groups of devices throughout the house. With Siri® integration you can say, “Good morning,” and have the lights turn on in specific rooms, the thermostat adjust the temperature and the garage door open.
That was September 9, 2014. So far, that hasn’t exactly been the case.
It Starts with Siri
If you’re using an iPhone 6s or 6s+, you can turn on Siri to take commands via voice when the screen is off and the handset isn’t plugged in. Which is great! But if you’re using an iPhone 6 or iPad… it needs to be plugged in. That’s not exactly convenient when you want to turn on your lights or unlock a door with voice commands. And of course, if your iOS device IS set up to take Siri commands at all times, it’s a drain on the battery—always a problem for iPhones anyway.
We like the idea of using Siri to control your smart home, but the execution is a bit lacking. It’s one thing to ask her to look up the address for the nearest fro-yo shop, but she has a way of misunderstanding smart home related commands that’s more inconvenient. One user reports:
When I say, “Turn off all the office lights at midnight,” she ignores the last part and just turns them all off right away. I learned that I couldn’t say, “Turn the lights to 50%”—you have to say, “Set the lights to 50%.”
What We Do Like About Apple HomeKit
One thing that HomeKit’s doing differently that we do appreciate is its approach to security. Google’s Nest thermostat collects data and extrapolates patterns to help your house run on its own. By contrast, HomeKit encrypts every data command so that Apple can’t see or hear your activities. As long as Tim Cook is CEO, we find his commitment to privacy very credible; check out his blistering message on security and encryption in an interview with Charlie Rose, and why he’s so committed to it even when confronted with pleas about national security. Without being too paranoid, it is entirely possible that smart home devices might be used to “spy” on homeowners, so encryption is a move we’re in favor of.
At the Consumer Electronics Show now winding down in Las Vegas, this post details 8 HomeKit-compatible devices that could make your home smarter. But they’re not yet. In short, if you want your home to be smarter now, you really do need a hub in combination with the Amazon Echo to really take it to the next level. But if you have time on your hands, you may want to think about HomeKit compatibility when you’re picking out your next lock, lightbulbs, or thermostat.
As always, we’d love to talk more about smart home tech with you! Leave a comment or contact us any time.
