Apple HomeKit

I've been looking at home automation using Apple HomeKit for a while and I've been waiting until the technology has matured. I also wanted one app to handle everything; not a separate app for each manufacturer.

My purchase of the HomePod finally nudged me to dip my toes and test the waters. The Home app is a single interface to HomeKit and the HomePod serves as a hub, as does the Apple TV for controlling my home whether I'm at home or not.

The Home app allows you to control the devices, set up rooms, scenes, and schedules. You still need an app from the manufacturer of the devices you'll be using to initialize and add them, but the rest can be handled by the Home App. Make sure the devices are certified for Apple HomeKit.

I've decided to start off slow with 4 wall switches to control the front porch light, entrance light, and the two lights on my deck. I'll review the wall switches I decided to use in my next Blog.

I've also defined 2 scenes to turn the deck lights on (for security; they are normally off) and off.

Finally, I defined 2 automation schedules to turn the front porch light off at sunrise and on at sunset. You can also define the time, days of the week, and an interval from "Never" to 60 minutes in increments of 1 minute to keep the device on.

It's a lot of fun to ask Siri to control the switches (and whatever HomeKit devices you're using). My wife overheard me and she remarked that now knows why I love Siri so much: Siri always follows my commands.

#Review #Apple #HomeKit