I agree.
I have a raspberry pi running Ho evridge for my wemo bulbs and switches.
Also have it running HiveKit to my British Gas hive heating as they do not support HomeKit
Gary
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Belkin Puts HomeKit Compatibility Plans for WeMo Product Line 'On Hold'
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I agree.
I have a raspberry pi running Ho evridge for my wemo bulbs and switches.
Also have it running HiveKit to my British Gas hive heating as they do not support HomeKit
Gary
Other than the Siri part, I have had all the same automation for a number of decades now. I started with X10 in the late 70s and switched over to Insteon a few years ago. Being a developer as well, I have now also have the same options on both Apple Watch and iPhone via either manual control or Siri. HomeKit is not used at all.
Motion detectors handle lights in low use areas like stairs and kitchen/entry/porch. Most lights go on/off automatically based on sunset/sunrise. Doors lock when I leave and unlock when i return, fully automatic based on GPS. Siri override is also available from watch or phone for selected on/off/lock/dim operations.
I would have preferred to use HomeKit, but I believe Apple choose poorly in their approach.
I was at a local lighting store and saw this product. I haven't tried it, but is similar to other remote controls for fans albeit with Bluetooth included. It doesn't seem to have HomeKit capability but otherwise looks good, nice looking app.
http://www.ylighting.com/fanimation...7A9ytMeJ21tlZj9f_0vIfxtvmkf7Op2-N8aAs888P8HAQ
http://www.ylighting.com/fanimation...7A9ytMeJ21tlZj9f_0vIfxtvmkf7Op2-N8aAs888P8HAQ
Me too, automated home since 1990. People don't seem to understand how easy it is. The problem with Apple is that again they are terrible at services and I just don't trust them not to say, "Oh, we did not get it right, so we are dropping the whole HomeKit thing." Either for for the next big thing or simply because it does not make enough money.
In addition, I don't want my home automation stuff talking to some remote server (iCould) using a walled garden protocol that I cannot control. And this is the problem with a successful Apple, they seem to think that the future is that the user is no longer in control of their own devices. A walled garden for a phone makes sense because of the cell network. My home automation not so much. My iPad no so much. I also tossed my Nest in the garbage for the same reason. Another Jobs wannabe trying to control the world at the expense of user's control.
the logic here doesn't make sense. in order to offer HK in new products, old customers would need to buy them if they wanted the new HK feature. so they're not going to offer the new feature, so old customers don't need to re buy them. but all that does is ensure neither old customers nor new customers can enjoy the new feature!
it makes no sense. adding HK support doesn't break the previous versions. nor does it mean older customers MUST buy the new HK version -- their old stuff will continue to function perfectly. it's just a great value add for those buying new, today.
[doublepost=1459602959][/doublepost]
Amazon echo? the always-listening speaker? how will that do anything useful?
[doublepost=1459603053][/doublepost]
yeah, that's why hotels all over the world have iPhone docks but never Samsung or Amazon Fire phone docks.
smh
[doublepost=1459603196][/doublepost]
you can't blame Apple for vendors not wanting to implement features. there's nothing stopping Belkin or anyone else from implementing.
You can use it for voice control of your HA devices. I control everything with mine and it works quite well.
I bet even w Apple security it would still be hackable.
I do wonder if they update the line to support HomeKit then why can't it support older methods of connection as well?
Frankly this is typical of Belkin. I've used some of their IT stuff, such as routers, KVM switches, etc. and their products always seem half-finished and/or unreliable. I use their Wemo system in our office and it is a pain. The concept of a hub-less system (unlike other's like Wink) is interesting at first, but you start to run into issue when you want to do basic things, such as have multiple locations in your app where you're using wink devices (e.g. "home", "office", "vacation home", etc.). Belkin has promised that as an upgrade since Wemo hit the market. You would think that this hub-less system would lend itself to HomeKit pretty easily and it would solve a key problem, but I suspect that it is poor design/lack of interest on Belkin's part that keeps this from happening.
[doublepost=1459608310][/doublepost]
[doublepost=1459608310][/doublepost]
It controls Belkin's Wemo light switches too through it's auto-discovery (assuming that the Echo and Wemo switches are on the same WiFi).
What is HomeKit really?
As an end user, it seems to me the only thing it gives me is the ability to control my devices with Siri.
All I want Apple to do is to just make a proper API for Siri, so I can tell her "Close my garage", she'll check a dictionary of commands built up from my installed apps, see that the LiftMaster app can handle that request, and do it.
There's no extra hardware I need for this at all. That's all I want. That's all that it seems HomeKit really offers me as an end user.
As an end user, it seems to me the only thing it gives me is the ability to control my devices with Siri.
All I want Apple to do is to just make a proper API for Siri, so I can tell her "Close my garage", she'll check a dictionary of commands built up from my installed apps, see that the LiftMaster app can handle that request, and do it.
There's no extra hardware I need for this at all. That's all I want. That's all that it seems HomeKit really offers me as an end user.
Yep... I have one setup to control some kitchen LED lights and it works well. Setup and discovery by the Echo was very easy. I'm on the verge of buying a Wink hub though due to a wider variety of devices available over my current setup.
This will control your fan, and is compatible with the HomeKit Lutron hub. I've got one set up right now.
http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-PD-6AN...rue&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
[doublepost=1459609537][/doublepost]
Oh where to start.
Yes, HomeKit does allow you to control your stuff with Siri. But what HomeKit is more than anything is a standard. It's a standard that states that all of the various products being offered, whether they be from Lutron, Schlage, Ecobee, Phillips Hue, LiftMaster or whomever will meet specific minimum security and compatibility requirements.
It means that all of your devices can see the state of the others. It allows for third party apps, not even associated with any of the manufacturers mentioned above can control all of their devices (such as the Home app that I use) so that they can support things that the manufacturers haven't even thought of yet. Such as geofencing and recipes.
The security aspect of HomeKit is paramount. Apple's requirement of a specific hardware module that must be encrypted and be validated with your Apple ID is key in making sure that your devices are safe from being hacked.
The resistance you see from certain manufacturers when it comes to HomeKit is usually born out of greed. Rather than submit to a standard that benefits the consumer in the long run many companies want to run their own proprietary ecosystem, thereby forcing you to buy their products for all of your needs, assuming that they even have have products in all of the areas of home automation that you want.
With HomeKit I can buy a Schlage Sense lock, and know that it is going to work better than August, and be more secure than Kwikset Kevo. Or if I want one of those other two I can choose them. I can buy an Ecobee thermostat, or I can get a Honeywell. I can buy Phillips Hue lighting, or I can buy Lutron. And no matter what, I know that I will be able to make them all work on tandem with each other, and that they'll all be secure.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I've got a single gang junction box which means I need a device that'll allow me to control both the fan and the lights. It would also need a low/medium/high buttons vs having to continually press a button to adjust the fan.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
The reason the echo is "flawless" is because it is happy to communicate with any smart home device regardless of security. Leaving security in the hands of users is exactly why Apple is requiring strong encryption. The general public cannot be trusted to secure a network. Unsecured networks and bad passwords are still rampant. Many smart home protocols are wide open to exploitation with the general public totally unaware of this fact. Combine these smart home products with the variety of security systems and door locks that may also share common bluetooth and wifi connections and you open your home up to anyone with a passing knowledge of how to exploit these systems. Not everything Apple does is a money grab. Requiring strong encryption is just the smart move.
I figured I would just have to buy a new WEMO link to get all my lightbulbs on HomeKit. I'm using an old MacPro running a script to get my WEMO stuff on HomeKit now so I'm not desperate but it's kind of a pain to maintain that at times.
[doublepost=1459622445][/doublepost]
But don't you have to buy an expensive Echo for every room then? I think I heard Amazon is offering smaller satellite Echos now but still. With Homebridge I can use my iPhone and Watch to operate my WEMOs so I didn't have to buy anything new.
When they announced HomeKit I was really hoping they would also announce their own line of smart home devices. I feel like the industry has so much potential and such a huge pent up demand for something simple and elegant that other companies just aren't satisfying. But of course Apple seems to throw out half baked products/services that aren't part of their core Mac/iPhone/iPad trifecta.
I would think that with their hundreds of billions in reserves they could dump a couple billion into home automation and take over the market. It seems to me like a market much more in line with their current line up than a car.
yet, philips managed it by changing their bridge. even if some wemo products work without a bridge, i don't see why they couldn't offer a bridge/router that makes their gear homekit-compatible - they already build routers, there wouldn't even be a need for a software update of the devices. just connect them to your belkin wemo-router and that one to your old wifi-router and you're good to go.
Never ever ever buy technology on promises. Only buy what is released.
Something I learned in 1983.
Something I learned in 1983.
Yes, you would need to have the Echo somewhere it can hear you. I have it in the living room where it can hear me easily from that room and the kitchen, so it works pretty well. I like the Wemo light switch because it is still a regular manual switch anybody can just flip on without messing around with the Echo or an iPhone app.
I just don't like the idea of having to drag my phone out of my pocket and use it to turn in lights, so I have been trying to by products to work around that.
Amazon has the new Echo Dot that you can place in other rooms if you want more coverage. I don't really want to do that though. I think with some of this HA stuff you reach a point where you are doing things just because they can be done, and not so much because they are any better than what you had.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I'm also running homebridge with my isy994i. Works pretty good and stable - never seem to need to reboot unless there is a power failure and things get out of sync where it reboots before ISY does. My main HA is controlled by ISY and I only use HomeKit for Siri and IOS control of devices.
Hombridge probably doesn't follow the security requirements for Apple and it is a hack so don't expect a commercial homebridge device. Apple could break it but probably looks the other way since it's not just widespread and average person won't use.
Hombridge probably doesn't follow the security requirements for Apple and it is a hack so don't expect a commercial homebridge device. Apple could break it but probably looks the other way since it's not just widespread and average person won't use.
The ISY line works well. Apple could have easily acquired Universal Devices and gained access to their treasure trove of home automation experience and devs who really understand the various protocols and vulnerabilities. When they announced HomeKit I saw it more as a PR stunt, an attempt to bully the "players" in this fragmented, niche market. Looks like it didn't work out too well for Tim and the Boyz.