Are you new to HomeKit or have you just bought your very first HomeKit-enabled device? If so, that’s great! Whether you’re using iPhones, iPads, Mac, HomePod, or Apple Watch, you’ve invested in one of the most safe, private, efficient, and convenient gadgets for home automation systems available. And, with the just released iOS, iPadOS, TVOS and HomePodOS 15 – it’s gotten even better.
While Apple’s approach to the smart home system emphasizes accessibility, if you’re new to the scene of smart devices, it may be a little intimidating. That’s why we’ve came up with this guide. It will provide you with all of the knowledge you’ll require and more to arrange and use the finest HomeKit gadgets and applications. So don’t fret; using Siri and the Home app, you’ll be able to manage your smart home in no time!
Why Buy Apple HomeKit?
HomeKit is a platform that connects smart home goods and adds additional features to gadgets such as lighting system, alarms, camera systems, thermostats, sockets, and much more. It is not a device or program.
HomeKit allows you to operate smart home devices from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac via applications or easy Siri voice instructions.
While using Siri or an iPhone to manage smart home goods is handy, the true beauty of HomeKit emerges once you have several HomeKit-enabled devices since you can manage it simultaneously using scenes or arrange automations to have them start immediately.
Design a “Good night” scenario, for instance, that locks the doors, shuts the garage, shuts out the lighting, reduces the temperature, and then sets a night light if movement is sensed. Specific HomeKit gadgets may be programmed to turn on or off at particular times, or whole scenes, such as the previous “Good night” scenario, can be programmed to turn on at a given time.
Setups, scenes, and automations in HomeKit may be as complicated or as basic as you prefer, and since HomeKit is in its seventh year of release, there are a variety of HomeKit devices to choose from. You can create a simplified, automatic, and convenient smart home environment with a little effort and cost.
Apple HomeKit vs. Amazon Alexa and Google Home
The smart home market is dominated by Amazon, Google, and Apple. And they all have distinct capabilities, which may make reaching a decision tricky. Let’s have a glance at every smart platform to see which one is right for you.
Device integration
It is an essential factor to address while using your smart gadgets. Apple HomeKit supports a wide range of devices, including cameras, doors, sensing equipment, switches, lighting, and more. HomeKit-enabled devices are also available from a number of well-known companies, including Philips Hue, Ecobbe, and Logitech, to mention a few. Amazon Alexa is linked with a bewildering array of gadgets, including speakers, lights, cameras, locking, thermostats, and even an Alexa-operable microwaves. Lifx, Netatmo, Netgear, Philips Hue, and more IT powerhouses have Alexa-enabled connectivity. For some, Alexa’s large number of connected gadgets may make it their favorite smart home system. Google Home, on the other hand, has a smaller list, although it does function with Chromecast built-in gadgets.
Amazon Alexa is also very useful and simple to use. You may, for example, change the intensity of smart bulbs, turn lights off with a “Alexa, goodnight” request, and even combine gadgets in a room to manage them all at once. Siri is still playing catchup here, though it’s ability to interpret multiple commands has just improved.
Managing the gadgets
Ultimately, Apple’s HomeKit has more intelligent automation features than Alexa or Google Assistant. The Home application, without Apple’s Home Pod, is merely a touching utility for turning on and off smart home products. Furthermore, Alexa and Google make the setting procedure a bit easier. Because you’ll need to check a code and also have your iPhone nearby, this is necessary. Google and Amazon, on the other hand, use Wi-Fi to set up their devices, that makes it a bit less complicated.
Having said that, HomeKit also operates via Bluetooth, so your smart home gadgets don’t need to be hooked to the web all of the time. HomeKit also distinguishes out for its automation capabilities. Because your location is linked to an iPhone, you can, for instance, turn off lights without even having to lift a finger when you go out.
And, Apple has additional focuses on Security and Privacy that the other platforms lack.
Where to start?
HomeKit needs the newest edition of iOS on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, as well as a minimum of one HomeKit-enabled gadget.[1]
To use the Home app on a MacBook, you’ll need macOS Mojave, and to manage gadgets when far from home, you’ll need an Apple TV, iPad, or HomePod to act as a central Home Hub inside your house to communicate with.
On the marketplace, there are a variety of HomeKit products, some of which are more powerful than the others. There are many HomeKit subcategories to choose from:
- Humidifiers
- Air Purifiers
- Doorbells
- Switches
- Speakers
- Locks
- TVs
- Cameras
- Outlets
- Lights
- Thermostats
- Routers
- Sprinklers
- Garage Doors
- Sensors
Apple has a comprehensive inventory of HomeKit-enabled gadgets on their website, including the relevant links. A simple search will help you learn about all of the various HomeKit gadgets you may use in your home.
Pros of Apple HomeKit
- The reliability and quality of Apple is still matchless.
- Apple HomeKit’s user interface is very simple and easy to understand.
- Bluetooth connectivity is also available.
- Apple’s cloud security is very trusted and secure.
- Apple devices have strict privacy protection.
Cons of Apple HomeKit
- It does not connect with as many gadgets and devices as Alexa or Google Home do.
- The HomeKit-approved gadgets are a bit tricky to set up.
Is it a good fit for you?
HomeKit, like many other smart home gadgets, is a luxury item, as are all of the items it can link to. However, if you go out often, would like to keep a close eye on what’s happening at home while you’re gone, or simply want to return home to a peaceful atmosphere, all after speaking a few words to Siri, HomeKit may be worthwhile for you.
[1] https://www.tomsguide.com/us/apple-homekit-faq,review-4195.html
