iOS 13 Will Bring Apple HomeKit To Many Smart Home Devices

Apple’s smart home platform HomeKit does not have the widest range in the market. Even the biggest fan of the company can deny that Amazon and Google offer a wider range of products to choose from. However, the Cupertino-based company is confident that it has loyal fans who have bought its product.

And while the company doesn’t talk about the HomeKit often in its keynotes, it did announce a few things during WWDC 2019 keynotes. iOS 13 was the biggest announcement with few features coming along with its launch this fall. And now, HomeKit device partners of Apple are announcing what products will receive some of those new features.

Nanoleaf

Known as a niche smart light product, Nanoleaf Canvas lighted tiles will get an update that will not only turn it into customizable buttons for the smart home but will also provide more novelty and practical features.

Now, you can open all of the shades or turn off all the lights in your home by pressing one tile. It’s nothing new using the tiles as a command center for the smart home as it is as convenient as using voice commands. However, it doesn’t make you have to stop chatting just to give a command.

Neato

These robot vacuums will be compatible with Siri. By simply using voice, users will be able to start, pause, or stop the device from cleaning, tell it to clean a certain area or make it return to the charging base.

Smarter Coffee Machine

The Siri Shortcuts will also come to this product, allowing users to make simple commands such as “Hey Siri, make a small pot of coffee.”

As Siri come to more products, it will also become more powerful. Apple has created Siri Shortcuts to make the assistant more conversational. Though users may first have to set up the device and record their own shortcut phrases, it will save them chores in the long term.

Logitech

One important thing Apple stressed during its keynotes in WWDC is privacy, and when it comes to the smart home, its headliner was Secure Video with aggressive policies on data storage to make sure users have control over their recorded clips.

In addition, users of Secure Video will get 10 days of free cloud storage for their videos from any video doorbell or video camera that’s compatible with HomeKit. But it remains unclear if Secure Video will feature in current HomeKit cameras or not, some of them may offer paid subscriptions for storing your videos remotely.

And the first partner to adopt this feature will be Logitech, which will add Secure Video to its existing home security camera Circle 2 within 2019. And the company said that it won’t change pricing, storage, ore availability for Circle Safe subscription in case of integrating the feature into the product line.

Lifx

Apparently, a handful of products will come with HomeKit updates. For example, Lifx announced a new candle bulb compatible with HomeKit that relies on Polychrome tech to emit many colors simultaneously for better customization.

The company is also developing Z TV Light Strip, which is one meter long, to go behind the TV with the ability to animate and show various colors at the same time. Users can set animations and colors through their Lifx app. These products will both go on sale this October.

Moen

This partner is integrating HomeKit into its U by Moen Smart Shower system. In particular, users will be allowed to start the shower, change temperatures as well as navigate presets using Siri commands.

Currently, there are thousands of smart home products that are compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa, but many of them haven’t worked with HomeKit yet. The reasons can be for competition or because Siri is not good enough yet. Whatever it is, Apple is doing the right expanding its HomeKit if it wants to compete with other rivals.