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i've always wanted to turn off my lights by taking out my phone, unlocking it, searching for the app, and turn it off...as opposed to flipping the switch.

Right. Cuz that is what HomeKit is, and that's how it works. :rolleyes:

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I was hoping for more HomeKit stuff at the Apple Watch event. I was pretty convinced that the big white box was a mockup of a house. But I guess the framework is still being finalized.

Still, home automation is one of the Apple Watches killer apps, even if it takes a year or two to mature. I was a little lukewarm on it at announcement, but I'm getting more convinced of its potential as time goes on. It's so much more than a text-relaying machine.
 
Or you could set up a profile and as soon as the device detects you (or knows your coming from your GPS coordinates), the house devices tells your partner your coming, lights up whatever at the right level, the right color, adjust the heating puts the TV on to Game of Throne, makes popcorn and coffee, sets the correct music, opens your door and yes, sets the popcorn and coffee in front of the TV and pets your dog (required robot is not included for those last tasks) ;-).

You don't open any app, you are the trigger. If letting anyone with your phone into your house freaks you, you can probably set up touch ID for extra security.

You have a lack of imagination....

and then my little cousin takes my iPhone and turns off my light
or i leave the room to go watch TV, but my light is still on. since i'm not used to turning off my lights because i relied on my iPhone, i have to go back and turn it off

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Such comeback. Much witty.

old meme

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Right. Cuz that is what HomeKit is, and that's how it works. :rolleyes:



something something rolleyes
 
So what about the $300 worth of Hue bulbs I already own? Will those be supported by Homekit? Will there be firmware updates or will they need to have the special "chip" built into them?

Could explain hue teams lack of widget update. Maybe they have screwed us. If that's the case I will buy a competitors product. Once bitten twice shy. Fool me once shame on hue.
 
Or you could set up a profile and as soon as the device detects you (or knows your coming from your GPS coordinates), the house devices tells your partner your coming, lights up whatever at the right level, the right color, adjust the heating puts the TV on to Game of Throne, makes popcorn and coffee, sets the correct music, opens your door and yes, sets the popcorn and coffee in front of the TV and pets your dog (required robot is not included for those last tasks) ;-).

You don't open any app, you are the trigger. If letting anyone with your phone into your house freaks you, you can probably set up touch ID for extra security.

You have a lack of imagination....


ismart alarm does this sort of thing.
 
So what about the $300 worth of Hue bulbs I already own? Will those be supported by Homekit? Will there be firmware updates or will they need to have the special "chip" built into them?

There was a tweet about it on @tweethue - just a firmware update. They already have the iOS widget and it was announced as an iWatch developer.

http://www.cnet.com/pictures/the-hardware-that-works-with-apples-new-smart-home-software/

This was the list that are working with homekit already.

The home kit protocol is not a complete system - more of a bridge
 
In a perfect world, I agree with you. But iOS 8 can't even switch screen orientation correctly half the time for me. I'm not sure I want my phone in charge of my locks on my doors.

I can see it now:

This update is recommended for all users.

- Fixes a bug that would inadvertently open garage doors remotely for some users without warning.
- Addresses an issue with locking some users out of 2016 Ford cars
[...]

True, also your display picture is a perfect fit for this post! ;)

Glassed Silver:mac
 
i've always wanted to turn off my lights by taking out my phone, unlocking it, searching for the app, and turn it off...as opposed to flipping the switch.

lololololol why don't you.

There's a lot you're missing (or you're trolling). Decent intro if indeed you're interested in HomeKit: http://dev.iachieved.it/iachievedit/?p=478. You can flick all the switches in your house manually or flick all of them (or some of them based on smart groupings) at once whilst leaving the house.

Lots of possibilities going forward.
 
There was a tweet about it on @tweethue - just a firmware update. They already have the iOS widget and it was announced as an iWatch developer.

http://www.cnet.com/pictures/the-hardware-that-works-with-apples-new-smart-home-software/

This was the list that are working with homekit already.

The home kit protocol is not a complete system - more of a bridge

yea but philips could be releasing a new hue product and giving up on developing for original hue buyers. Nothing they have said fills me with confidence. They are so slow to develop it makes me think they have been working on the new version. Either that or they are incompetent and slow.
 
So what about the $300 worth of Hue bulbs I already own? Will those be supported by Homekit? Will there be firmware updates or will they need to have the special "chip" built into them?
I don't know this to be true, but expect you will see two different ways devices will support HomeKit - one way will be in software via your existing hub or controller.

I suspect the chip release, mentioned in the article, is for future devices which will be made with HomeKit supported in the device(s) itself - I would see this as an adjunct to the devices "native" functionality. If this is true, then those having hubs and controllers will have two ways to connect with these new devices.

Some hold outs may exist, but I would anticipate, over time, customer pressure and competition will nudge adoption.
 
Cracks me up that folks that worry about EMP and power outage, but are failing to grasp, while caught up in their hyperbolic fretting, is that except for a front door lock, nearly everything else that HomeKit is aiming for is ALREADY ELECTRONIC! So if the power fails, my issue won't be that my phone does not work on my lights or garage door, but that simple my lights and garage door don't work anyway. (and all the door lock designed i have seen so far include a physical key override)

Also you are glossing over that nearly all these smart things are designed to be interacted with in person OR remotely.

Light switches are not being made with no switch on the wall, they are being made with both. One can decide which is the most sensical way to use them in any particular moment. With your hand if you happen to be standing right there, or your iPhone if you are already in bed or coming home from work, and lastly with software settings in the case of setting up motion detectors, linked actions, geofencing or timed settings.
 
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There's a lot you're missing (or you're trolling). Decent intro if indeed you're interested in HomeKit: http://dev.iachieved.it/iachievedit/?p=478. You can flick all the switches in your house manually or flick all of them (or some of them based on smart groupings) at once whilst leaving the house.

Lots of possibilities going forward.

i know what homekit is, i've developed apps using homekit. chill.
 
In much the same way we see third party thunder bolt cables, will this mean we may also see third party chips in Home kit too ? Or will it be restricted to Apple?

I'm sure other manufactures would like to get their hand in.
 
yea but philips could be releasing a new hue product and giving up on developing for original hue buyers. Nothing they have said fills me with confidence. They are so slow to develop it makes me think they have been working on the new version. Either that or they are incompetent and slow.

Even if they brought out an new version, there is zero reason it would not be backward compatible. It's the same protocol as their office version and they will not be changing that for many years to come.

I suspect any new version would only include more than 50 separate lights. What else are they doing to add? Ultraviolet and Infrared.

The main problem is they are seriously expensive. You can buy comparable kit for 5th of the price BUT the apps are terrible and they have little integration.
 
Even if they brought out an new version, there is zero reason it would not be backward compatible. It's the same protocol as their office version and they will not be changing that for many years to come.

I suspect any new version would only include more than 50 separate lights. What else are they doing to add? Ultraviolet and Infrared.

The main problem is they are seriously expensive. You can buy comparable kit for 5th of the price BUT the apps are terrible and they have little integration.

new version with apple approved home kit wifi module
 
new version with apple approved home kit wifi module

Sure... but that would only be the hub not all the lights. I am sure they sell that separately. And you can't blame them for updating something that didn't even exist when it was launched.
 
Sure... but that would only be the hub not all the lights. I am sure they sell that separately. And you can't blame them for updating something that didn't even exist when it was launched.

But I can blame them for telling customers they won't have to buy a new model because it will be supported with home kit. They have said this on twitter to many people so if they have lied to sell remaining units then many of us will be pissed, and would you argue we are wrong?
 
But I can blame them for telling customers they won't have to buy a new model because it will be supported with home kit. They have said this on twitter to many people so if they have lied to sell remaining units then many of us will be pissed, and would you argue we are wrong?

OK. I have done some technical reading into HAP - Homekit Accessory Protocol and the Made for iPhone program (MFi) and Homekit will be supported with the current hue, but perhaps not the complete range of features.

There is of course the possibly that the Hub already contains MFi chips - from either Marvell / Broadcom which considering they are the the most often used then it's a high probability.

Or given they are already an apple partner it may have already been worked into the MFi spec.

I wouldn't argue at all if they did release a whole new system... but they won't.

Every tweet does say - 'yes it will be compatible and new software is coming.'

So not point saying they are lying when they are not.
 
OK. I have done some technical reading into HAP - Homekit Accessory Protocol and the Made for iPhone program (MFi) and Homekit will be supported with the current hue, but perhaps not the complete range of features.

There is of course the possibly that the Hub already contains MFi chips - from either Marvell / Broadcom which considering they are the the most often used then it's a high probability.

Or given they are already an apple partner it may have already been worked into the MFi spec.

I wouldn't argue at all if they did release a whole new system... but they won't.

Every tweet does say - 'yes it will be compatible and new software is coming.'

So not point saying they are lying when they are not.

Not every tweet says that. Mostly it's ambiguous. there is absolutely no solid statement from Philips hue.
 
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