if only apple allowed desktop osx to issue homekit commands and act as a homekit controller. i mean really, why is this not already possible? if my ipod and iphone can control these devices so should my macbook pro. this isn't about security, it is about common sense.
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CES 2017: Mixtile Hub Promises to Expand HomeKit to ZigBee and Z-Wave Smart Home Devices
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Your rather over exaggerating the security risk with Z-Wave and way exaggerating with regards to Zigbee. Many of the bulbs currently on the market use the Zigbee V3 protocol which is very secure and Philips can and has said they plan to update their older bulbs. As far as Z-Wave goes, yes apart from the door locks it's rather insecure however as they aren't internet connected devices, what does it matter? Any wireless sensor is almost useless as far as true security goes, and with lights, OK so someone could sit outside and remotely turn them on or off; But again, what does it matter and why would someone do that? On top of that Z-Wave is a closed system so no, hacking a light bulb in that case gets you a foothold to a whole lot of nothing.
Don't get me wrong, I like Apple's push for security but in reality it does and matters... Nothing. The problem is all of these devices can still, and most always do (since the Home Kit adoption rate is a joke and the market is smaller then peanuts) include other access methods, usually some sort of wifi/internet based connection. Now instead of making things better, they're a million times worse. That homekit plug with its mandated security chip, is in the end, a regular WiFi connected computer with a web server and vulnerable to all of the traditional web/API hacks and is only as secure as the programmer of its software made it. The HomeKit Ecobee3 is still just as secure or insecure as it was before homekit. On top of that if you have WiFi you now have a much more powerful weapon then a Z-Wave device and something that you can actually flash your own code to and use to attack phones or computers and gain valuable data. Sure older versions of Zigbee don't have great security (it's still not really any worse then WEP was though) but what does it matter? You can't gain IP/Web access through it and no phones or computers have Zigbee/Z-Wave radios in them that could be attacked from a compromised device. Even if you skip WiFi that means you're using Bluetooth for the device which may be more secure, but once compromised offers a much better reward and access to the wider network.
lol - are you seriously in believe that your security is compromised using amazon and google but not apple?!?!?
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home kit is so behind.
it's just not there. my family uses iphones and we have hue lighting.
guess what? we don't care for homekit nor siri so we are sticking with alexa for the time being because it just works.
now where did i hear that before?
The SmartThings v2 Hub has it because that way it can still communicate with your devices if your power goes out. (Or at least it can communicate with those devices that also have batteries, like most motion sensors, contact sensors, some sirens, etc.) I assume this hub has it for similar reasons.
I am not that impressed by Homekit or the Home app. I have my morning routine stored in 6 automations and on average 1 of them fails every morning.
The reality is that you are either incompetent or a liar.
It will be better if the battery is replaceable.... but for people who use this for security purposes a battery is a must if power goes down
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Do I need a developer account for the homebridge? Because one of the reason I was going to drop SmartThings is because it does not support HomeKit
It's only a mess to those who only play with Apple. My Google Home works with my thermostat, home sprinklers, lights, TVs, garage door, security system and my washer and dryer. It's pretty seamless and couldn't be easier.
Google Assistant is IFTTT enabled as is Alexa. You can create any command you want for almost any smart product on the market.
They also still believe Apple doesn't sell their info to third parties.lol - are you seriously in believe that your security is compromised using amazon and google but not apple?!?!?
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home kit is so behind.
it's just not there. my family uses iphones and we have hue lighting.
guess what? we don't care for homekit nor siri so we are sticking with alexa for the time being because it just works.
now where did i hear that before?
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Both I'm thinking.
I'm an early adopter of HomeKit, and I must sadly admit that HomeKit is a half-baked disaster. Not everything that Apple created under Tim Cook is a disaster, though. Apple Pay is brilliant in my opinion, and those who have compatible hardware but never bothered to use Apple Pay should really try it because it's a revolutionary solution. However, HomeKit is a prime example of how wrong things are getting within Apple.
The solution was never explained to the user base. It's unclear where HomeKit actually lives (cloud or iOS devices), it came out as a framework without an app, the recently released Apple Home app is inferior to other HomeKit apps, some products that are perfectly functional with a third-party Home app do not function well with the Apple Home app, the native HomeKit geofencing API has not been open to third parties, so they have to implement their own geofencing solutions, the native HomeKit scheduling API does not allow for the creation of weekend schedules that differ from weekday schedules, and the list goes on. Siri cannot trigger scenes half of the times, and the while experience is extremely frustrating. The whole idea behind HomeKit was that smart appliances can be controlled in one place - initially through Siri only. Unfortunately, this has never worked properly, and so I find that controlling my smart appliances via their respective apps is a much more convenient and reliable way to interact with them than trying to use HomeKit (via Siri, Apple Home app, or even third-party Home app). And when HomeKit is broken, and your invitees can no longer control the devices, the only solution that Apple provides is to reset your HomeKit and start from scratch, which can mean multiple hours of reconfiguration just to get the basic functionality working again.
The case in point is the absolutely ingenious ecobee thermostat product that is absolutely crippled by HomeKit and is brilliantly implemented via the native ecobee app. More complex features, such as setting vacation schedules are not even possible in HomeKit, but this is exactly the kind of feature that makes smart thermostats stand out from dumb thermostats.
The extra surcharge for the ecobee thermostat compatible with HomeKit is an absolute waste of money as the ecobee thermostat without the HomeKit chip functions brilliantly through its own app, and the optional HomeKit chip adds no value whatsoever to the user experience as most users will eventually go back to using the native ecobee app.
Same goes for Hue lights, iDevices, etc.
The solution was never explained to the user base. It's unclear where HomeKit actually lives (cloud or iOS devices), it came out as a framework without an app, the recently released Apple Home app is inferior to other HomeKit apps, some products that are perfectly functional with a third-party Home app do not function well with the Apple Home app, the native HomeKit geofencing API has not been open to third parties, so they have to implement their own geofencing solutions, the native HomeKit scheduling API does not allow for the creation of weekend schedules that differ from weekday schedules, and the list goes on. Siri cannot trigger scenes half of the times, and the while experience is extremely frustrating. The whole idea behind HomeKit was that smart appliances can be controlled in one place - initially through Siri only. Unfortunately, this has never worked properly, and so I find that controlling my smart appliances via their respective apps is a much more convenient and reliable way to interact with them than trying to use HomeKit (via Siri, Apple Home app, or even third-party Home app). And when HomeKit is broken, and your invitees can no longer control the devices, the only solution that Apple provides is to reset your HomeKit and start from scratch, which can mean multiple hours of reconfiguration just to get the basic functionality working again.
The case in point is the absolutely ingenious ecobee thermostat product that is absolutely crippled by HomeKit and is brilliantly implemented via the native ecobee app. More complex features, such as setting vacation schedules are not even possible in HomeKit, but this is exactly the kind of feature that makes smart thermostats stand out from dumb thermostats.
The extra surcharge for the ecobee thermostat compatible with HomeKit is an absolute waste of money as the ecobee thermostat without the HomeKit chip functions brilliantly through its own app, and the optional HomeKit chip adds no value whatsoever to the user experience as most users will eventually go back to using the native ecobee app.
Same goes for Hue lights, iDevices, etc.
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A lot of the comments here seem to be a little mis-informed on the topic.
I see this as a win. The Philips base doesn't include wifi, so it has to be plugged into the router via ethernet. If this hub can replace the need for the philips hub / base, then more options is a good thing and all the people with v1 and upgrade to this to get homekit and siri support plus support for other non philips devices.
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I think the main benefit to Homekit is being able to use siri and my apple watch to control lights etc. I think Homekit does need some work for improved reliability and improved automation (geofence etc).
I see this as a win. The Philips base doesn't include wifi, so it has to be plugged into the router via ethernet. If this hub can replace the need for the philips hub / base, then more options is a good thing and all the people with v1 and upgrade to this to get homekit and siri support plus support for other non philips devices.
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I think the main benefit to Homekit is being able to use siri and my apple watch to control lights etc. I think Homekit does need some work for improved reliability and improved automation (geofence etc).
You realise this would have been the case under Jobs too? This is due to Apple wanted to lock down their platform, it's never been any other way and I don't know why you all pretend it has been under Cook. They want a certain level of security and encryption on Homekit to get the standard. Other smart home systems aren't as strong on security.
I agree that Apple should have included support for existing technologies. They are coming to the game somewhat late and many homes (like mine) already have a significant number of switches and other devices already installed. HomeKit fits with Apple's history of being a relatively closed ecosystem, but it's a pretty hard sell for me to spend several hundred dollars swapping out switches and sensors that work perfectly fine with my Nexia system just so I can use HomeKit
Finally something awesome for Homekit. This should level the playing field and bring pricing down for homekit accessories as well.
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Yes, and it's not a minor, insignificant issue like google, amazon, and their fanbot crowd want everyone to believe. There's potential for serious damage to homes, at best, and potential injuries to people, at worst.
http://hackaday.com/2013/01/31/turning-the-belkin-wemo-into-a-deathtrap/
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Yes, and it's not a minor, insignificant issue like google, amazon, and their fanbot crowd want everyone to believe. There's potential for serious damage to homes, at best, and potential injuries to people, at worst.
http://hackaday.com/2013/01/31/turning-the-belkin-wemo-into-a-deathtrap/
Too bad that they didn't incorporate X10 protocols in there also. Still have a couple of lights in the house which use X10
There are multiple dozens of people here who are expert at twisting everything into anti apple and anti cook sentiments. It's the highlight of their day.
Thank you - Apple really has brain washed all these folks thinking that their data is not being used by others.
Amazon has killed it in this space. HomeKit is Apple's smart home version of the Zune. I hope they can recover from blowing it, but I think that whatever they put out will be too little, too late.