How to Use Your iPhone With HomeKit-Enabled Devices

[MacRumors]

Now that HomeKit-enabled accessories are hitting the market, you may be wondering what you can do with your new connected devices. Whether you are controlling the temperature, turning off lights, or locking the front door, you will be able to use your iPhone to take care of various activities around the house.

If you are away from home, you'll even be able to use Apple TV (third-generation or newer running Apple TV OS 7.0 or later) to control some functions while away from home. We've got a tutorial for getting your HomeKit-enabled accessories ready for use.

Insteon's app for HomeKit-enabled lights​

Download the App

HomeKit is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch running iOS 8.1 or later. When you get your device, be sure to download the compatible app from the App Store and pair your device using the special code that comes with your new HomeKit accessory.

Setup

Once paired, use Siri to take control of your electronics. You can tell the virtual assistant to set the temperature or turn off the lights in the kitchen. There are some commands that will require you to unlock your iPhone before Siri will comply. For example, you won't be able to unlock your door until you unlock your iPhone.

Some apps allow you to group multiple accessories together, letting them be controlled with a single Siri command. Groupings need to be set up in third-party accessory apps, and the settings may be called "homes, rooms, or scenes." Third-party apps that offer HomeKit groupings can often incorporate HomeKit devices they're not even designed to control. Lutron's app, for example, can also control a Nest thermostat.


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Article Link: How to Use Your iPhone With HomeKit-Enabled Devices

 

[bondjw07]

Someone needs to make a list of all the products that are currently available. I can't seem to find anything

 

[Benjamin Frost]

I really doubt that HomeKit, or, indeed, any Internet of Things thingy will get any traction.

Unlocking a door or turning on a light is so quick and easy. Quicker and easier than even getting your phone out or using your watch. You don't have to think; you just do a simple motion and it works all of the time. No batteries required. No glitches to worry about. No wireless problems. No re-wiring. No bluetooth woes. No extra gadget needed. No extra expense.

HomeKit and the Internet of Things are solutions in search of a problem for all but niche scenarios, such as handicapped people.

 

[bondjw07]

Also, it looks like the Lutron app requires you to have the Lutron products to be able to control Nest. I wasn't able to get past the config screens since I don't have their hardware.

 

[@Adamski]

I agree with bondjw07, it seems very difficult to find out what products/apps are HomeKit ready let alone good information on HomeKit itself. Apple has a Homekit developers page on their site but that's about it.


I was kind of thinking that HomeKit was going to be it's own app that controlled things and had all of the connected product work through it, in how all of your News info will be in the new News app.

 

[bondjw07]

I really doubt that HomeKit, or, indeed, any Internet of Things thingy will get any traction.

Unlocking a door or turning on a light is so quick and easy. Quicker and easier than even getting your phone out or using your watch. You don't have to think; you just do a simple motion and it works all of the time. No batteries required. No glitches to worry about. No wireless problems. No re-wiring. No bluetooth woes. No extra gadget needed. No extra expense.

HomeKit and the Internet of Things are solutions in search of a problem for all but niche scenarios, such as handicapped people.

Totally disagree. If done right, these products will be able to seamlessly fit into your everyday routine.

 

[jclo]

I agree with bondjw07, it seems very difficult to find out what products/apps are HomeKit ready let alone good information on HomeKit itself. Apple has a Homekit developers page on their site but that's about it.


I was kind of thinking that HomeKit was going to be it's own app that controlled things and had all of the connected product work through it, in how all of your News info will be in the new News app.

Apple has a support document that lists all products that work with HomeKit: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204903

 

[@Adamski]

Apple has a support document that lists all products that work with HomeKit: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204903

Thank you! Seems very buried, surprised apple.com/homekit doesn't exist. Also, looking at this list there aren't a lot of products.

 

[Iconoclysm]

I really doubt that HomeKit, or, indeed, any Internet of Things thingy will get any traction.

Unlocking a door or turning on a light is so quick and easy. Quicker and easier than even getting your phone out or using your watch. You don't have to think; you just do a simple motion and it works all of the time. No batteries required. No glitches to worry about. No wireless problems. No re-wiring. No bluetooth woes. No extra gadget needed. No extra expense.

HomeKit and the Internet of Things are solutions in search of a problem for all but niche scenarios, such as handicapped people.

Won't get any traction? Too late... You really think it's easier to unlock a door with a key than to simply walk up to it and open it automatically via Bluetooth? Getting up and walking over to a light switch to dim the lights is easier than looking down at my watch? Your entire entertainment center can be controlled by one wifi device, you think it's easier to use 10 remotes? Then again, you're just thinking about lights and door locks like it's 2001...you might get it eventually.

 

[pubwvj]

Can't wait until this just works. Then we won't need the tutorial. It will be implanted, you think "Let there be light!" and the light will be separated from the dark. A password may be necessary to use this on the Universe size scale.

 

[macosxuser01]

I really doubt that HomeKit, or, indeed, any Internet of Things thingy will get any traction.

Unlocking a door or turning on a light is so quick and easy. Quicker and easier than even getting your phone out or using your watch. You don't have to think; you just do a simple motion and it works all of the time. No batteries required. No glitches to worry about. No wireless problems. No re-wiring. No bluetooth woes. No extra gadget needed. No extra expense.

HomeKit and the Internet of Things are solutions in search of a problem for all but niche scenarios, such as handicapped people.

It's more then just turning off a light or unlocking the door but doing automations such as when I come home and unlock the front door it will trigger my hall lights to turn on. When I leave the house (with geo-fencing) it will automatically adjust the thermostat to save energy.

 

[nutmac]

I am a bit puzzled by Apple letting 3rd party developers implement the UI for registering devices to HomeKit, such as creating a house, rooms, and zones. I had assumed Apple would be the one providing such functionality via rumored Home app for iOS 9.

For instance, if I have multiple lightbulbs from multiple vendors in one room, how would HomeKit (rather, Siri) tell them apart? Does it activate all? Would it be possible to activate just one?

Furthermore, I would want an inventory of all my HomeKit compatible devices. Without a Home app of some sort (or a setting in Settings app), it would be a major hassle.

 

[dwaltwhit]

So say I have a few z-wave sensors and switches. Can I get homekit to work with them with say some sort of hub? I was really hoping for some solid info at wwdc...

 

[amirite]

Not enough people are excited about this. The decade of the smartphone is almost over and the next revolution in tech is going to be much more interesting: smartwatches and smart homes. I'm personally looking forward to cutting down the number of things I need to carry in my pocket. No more losing keys and credit cards!

I'm also glad Apple is one of the companies leading the way. I remember reading about Bill Gates "smart" home in the 90s. Microsoft would never have been able to bring such technology to the masses, even if the technology could have been cheap enough for mass adoption back then. When people thought of the future of homes they always thought of these crazy Jetsons-style spacey "futuristic" looking places with completely different ways of doing things. That won't be the reality. Home's will mostly look the same in twenty years because the best technology will be invisible for the most part, and this tech is going to creep into all of our homes, complimenting the way we live and making it a little more convenient, rather than changing it.

 

[PowerBook-G5]

I really doubt that HomeKit, or, indeed, any Internet of Things thingy will get any traction.

Unlocking a door or turning on a light is so quick and easy. Quicker and easier than even getting your phone out or using your watch. You don't have to think; you just do a simple motion and it works all of the time. No batteries required. No glitches to worry about. No wireless problems. No re-wiring. No bluetooth woes. No extra gadget needed. No extra expense.

HomeKit and the Internet of Things are solutions in search of a problem for all but niche scenarios, such as handicapped people.

I agree with this almost completely. The only "devices" in my house that I could possibly want to have easier control over (via my iPhone or Apple Watch [if I had one]) are my ceiling fans, non-critical systems in my home.

Other than that, I don't want an app to be able to open my garage door, turn on lights and appliances, or unlock my front door. Why would anyone allow something other than a key in their hand to unlock a door?

Won't get any traction? Too late... You really think it's easier to unlock a door with a key than to simply walk up to it and open it automatically via Bluetooth? Getting up and walking over to a light switch to dim the lights is easier than looking down at my watch? Your entire entertainment center can be controlled by one wifi device, you think it's easier to use 10 remotes? Then again, you're just thinking about lights and door locks like it's 2001...you might get it eventually.

It's definitely easier for me to unlock my door with a key than my phone. And a hell of a lot more secure. The thing is that, no matter what company it is creating these products, I will never trust them with being able to do things such as unlock and open doors. That's just too crucial a safety mechanism on a home to put in the hands of an electric device, programmed by some company with God knows what possible backdoor or flaw (hehe) built in.

There is always some bug, flaw, or weakness in the system, be it electronic or physical, but I believe that the physical route to doing some things is much more secure. I'll happily be using my physical keys, light switches, garage door clickers, etc until I can now longer find them. And that's going to take a long time.

 

[macs4nw]

.....If done right, these products will be able to seamlessly fit into your everyday routine.

Agreed, and not only that, but the true beauty is the ability to do all that remotely from anywhere in the world you are connected to the internet.

The main caveat here being that is has to work reliably all the time, especially with remote operation.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Won't get any traction? Too late... You really think it's easier to unlock a door with a key than to simply walk up to it and open it automatically via Bluetooth? Getting up and walking over to a light switch to dim the lights is easier than looking down at my watch? Your entire entertainment center can be controlled by one wifi device, you think it's easier to use 10 remotes? Then again, you're just thinking about lights and door locks like it's 2001...you might get it eventually.

Is it worth it to replace all those pieces of hardware? Some of them, maybe. Some of them, I'm not so sure.

Also, that chart is strictly considering software automation, something that can be done for free. Since we're talking about buying new hardware, which probably costs more than the other hardware, you'll need to also consider the price difference and then convert that price difference into time based on how much you value your time at.

(Link to the page this chart is from. The chart is handy, I keep it bookmarked.)

 

[amirite]

Honestly physical keys are less secure than you seem to think. The rest of your argument seems to just be wild theories such as backdoors, fear of hacking etc. These are arguments people use against all sorts of technological advancements. We'll all be using electronic locks in 50 years.

And walking up to your door and having it automatically unlock because it senses your presence is easily more convenient than having to fumble around for your keys and so on. Plus you can't lose a digital key...

 

[ayale99]

I really doubt that HomeKit, or, indeed, any Internet of Things thingy will get any traction.

Unlocking a door or turning on a light is so quick and easy. Quicker and easier than even getting your phone out or using your watch. You don't have to think; you just do a simple motion and it works all of the time. No batteries required. No glitches to worry about. No wireless problems. No re-wiring. No bluetooth woes. No extra gadget needed. No extra expense.

HomeKit and the Internet of Things are solutions in search of a problem for all but niche scenarios, such as handicapped people.

I wish I could read one HomeKit thread without people coming in an posting about how it isn't for them and therefore should not be for anyone. If you aren't interested, move on. How hard is that?

 

[PJL500]

I really doubt that HomeKit, or, indeed, any Internet of Things thingy will get any traction.

Unlocking a door or turning on a light is so quick and easy. Quicker and easier than even getting your phone out or using your watch. You don't have to think; you just do a simple motion and it works all of the time. No batteries required. No glitches to worry about. No wireless problems. No re-wiring. No bluetooth woes. No extra gadget needed. No extra expense.

HomeKit and the Internet of Things are solutions in search of a problem for all but niche scenarios, such as handicapped people.

It is nice to no longer have to carry keys for car or house. Keys will go the way of the buggy whip. People were once happy with the one simple motion of that item too and could not imagine life without it.

 

[TMDR]

I really doubt that HomeKit, or, indeed, any Internet of Things thingy will get any traction.

Unlocking a door or turning on a light is so quick and easy. Quicker and easier than even getting your phone out or using your watch. You don't have to think; you just do a simple motion and it works all of the time. No batteries required. No glitches to worry about. No wireless problems. No re-wiring. No bluetooth woes. No extra gadget needed. No extra expense.

HomeKit and the Internet of Things are solutions in search of a problem for all but niche scenarios, such as handicapped people.

With your statement you are almost right. But I have a different vision. Making everything controllable via the web/smartphone seems really a hassle, especially lights, with already a great invention in place: the light switch.
I like to develop small microcontroller projects to hook up to my network so that I can control some stuff. This is both hardware and software development. I am constantly thinking about what's next; what do I want to control next with my phone? I always keep in mind that it should make things easier, not more difficult or more steps. I have a Philips RGB LED strip with a simple infrared remote to shine some light on my whisky collection. The remote was always gone, always. Having built a remote app with a small DIY device that emits the same IR signals as the remote when I send a command via my phone (all network based for reliability, no bluetooth or Wi-Fi), the LED strip picks it up. A simple elegant device to make sure I never lose the remote again. Installed the app on all iPhones and iPads in the house, so the remote is either in my pocket or on the coffee table. Besides, I don't have to mind where I am in the room, where the original remote sometimes had difficulties reaching that far.

I have a Nest. Great stuf. When I'm working I want to stay in my man-cave and keep my focus. Controlling the thermostat via Mac/iOS is great in such situations. Besides, I can check if I turned off the thermostat when I left home in a hurry. Just making stuff a little easier.

Lastly: when watching a move in bed I have hooked up some devices to automate a lot of stuff. Close the curtains, put the electrical bed at x degrees, turn all lights off, turn tv/stereo on, etc.
When going to bed: I just press a button called "Sleep mode". It turns of a lot of stuff to save energy (like the LED strip, thermostat, stereos, ensures all TVs are off, etc). The "Wake up" button reverses all this.
Can I live without all this? Definitely. Does it make stuff easier? Definitely. Did I have a good time developing that stuff? Definitely. Would I buy a lot of things to do the same things? Never. (The Nest was a gift from a friend).

 

[H2SO4]

The thing is that, no matter what company it is creating these products, I will never trust them with being able to do things such as unlock and open doors. That's just too crucial a safety mechanism on a home to put in the hands of an electric device, programmed by some company with God knows what possible backdoor or flaw (hehe) built in.

There is always some bug, flaw, or weakness in the system, be it electronic or physical, but I believe that the physical route to doing some things is much more secure. I'll happily be using my physical keys, light switches, garage door clickers, etc until I can now longer find them. And that's going to take a long time.

This is what I am wondering. A database somewhere that tell an untrustworthy operator who is in and who is out that he can sell to some organised crime group.
Far fetched, probably but I can’t help thinking what I’m thinking.

 

[Ed217]

Apple has a support document that lists all products that work with HomeKit: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204903

There is a difference between products in this list and products that are actually sold today.

 

[Ed217]

I really doubt that HomeKit, or, indeed, any Internet of Things thingy will get any traction.

Unlocking a door or turning on a light is so quick and easy. Quicker and easier than even getting your phone out or using your watch. You don't have to think; you just do a simple motion and it works all of the time. No batteries required. No glitches to worry about. No wireless problems. No re-wiring. No bluetooth woes. No extra gadget needed. No extra expense.

HomeKit and the Internet of Things are solutions in search of a problem for all but niche scenarios, such as handicapped people.

The key part of home automation...is the word automation. My lights have been on automatic for decades. My thermostat is automatic and based on my location. My doors lock when I leave and unlock when I arrive. None of these require any effort at all, they are automatic.

The automation part can be quite useful to a much larger set of people than handicapped...

 

[Robwilliams]

Ben, I think you're not quite getting how these devices work...

I get to my front door and it opens automatically when it senses my phone is near (I can disable this remotely if I lose my phone)

At the same time my alarm disarms, and if it's night, the lights come on

When I want to watch TV I choose one option on my phone, the lights dim, the amp and TV come on, and the speakers are set, depending on which TV choice I made (game, movie or TV)

When I go to bed the lights dim and turn off at my preset time, and they gently increase in the morning, if I want to override this I don't even get up, I just say, "hey Siri, turn down/up the bedroom lights)

i can email my friends a key to my front door, it works for a set period of time, they can then get in if I'm not there...

I can open the door for the postman, when he rings my doorbell I get a video feed and can talk to him from work, and open my door, I can see him enter, and leave, and the door locks behind him.

This is the kind of stuff home kit enables, it's all available now, but home kit will bring it to the mass market. But it's not just replacing a light switch with a phone...

Check out

Keyvo
I-bell
Phillips hue
I-smart alarm
Roomie remote
Smappee

IOT is going to be massive...