Logitech's 'Pop Home Switch' Aims to Simplify Smart Device Control

[MacRumors]

Logitech today announced a new single-button device called the Pop Home Switch, designed to simplify the control of multiple smart home products.

The interactive accessory company says the idea behind the Pop is to free up control of smart devices so that anyone in the home can operate them regardless of whether they have a smartphone and the associated app for each device.

The palm-sized, wall-mounted switch connects wirelessly to a Bluetooth hub that plugs into a power outlet, and enables users to activate up to three pre-programmed moods with a single, double, or triple press.

A companion mobile app scans local Wi-Fi networks for compatible devices and allows users to create a recipe for each. For example, a recipe called "morning" could be programmed to open the drapes and begin a particular music playlist with a single click of the button.

The Pop supports a range of smart home devices, like Phillips Hue lights, Sonos speakers, LIFX connected bulbs, August locks, and Lutron smart drapes.

Logitech's Starter Pack comes with two wall-mounted buttons and a single hub, and additional Pops can be bought to increase the flexibility of the system.

The Pop Home Switch Starter Pack costs $99.99 and additional switches cost $39.99. The device works with both iOS and Android; pre-orders begin today and the product will start shipping later this month.

Article Link: Logitech's 'Pop Home Switch' Aims to Simplify Smart Device Control

 

[MacFan23]

 

[tuckerjj]

But can it trigger HomeKit scenes?

 

[Craiger]

But can it trigger HomeKit scenes?

I don't understand how this wasn't addressed in the original post..

 

[Carmenia83]

But can it trigger HomeKit scenes?

I don't understand how this wasn't addressed in the original post..

Original post or the Logitech website says nothing about HomeKit anywhere, so I would assume it's not compatible. If they paid into the HomeKit program and jumped through Apple's hoops, I'm sure they would be advertising it.

 

[Madmic23]

Finally! A switch I can put on the wall to turn my lights on and off!

 

[S.B.G]

That's a little pricey for a three function device to be shared in a home wifi/bluetooth environment.

 

[RMo]

I don't understand how this wasn't addressed in the original post..

No need to be rude. I agree with tuckerjj and others: they don't mention HomeKit support, neither in the press releases nor the technical specifications, and certainly at least the latter would lead one to believe that it's simply not supported--and they'd be foolish not to brag about it in the former if it were supported. ("Scenes" is not a HomeKit-specific term. It is the primary method of driving light changes in the v1 Philips Hue app, for example.)

On the other hand, this isn't really a smart home device, it's just meant to control other smart home devices, so maybe it's not appropriate for HomeKit but rather an alternative to it. However, for those who use it, it seems like it would be nice for this product to be able to "access" HomeKit scenes, rooms, etc.

Personally, I'll be sticking to Hue remotes (and some Taps) for lights--they're about the same price--and a Z-Wave remote like the Aeon Mini-Mote for controlling other devices that I have on SmartThings. This looks neat, but I don't want another hub/bridge to have to deal with, and the price is high for a button that does less than similarly priced, more powerful controls that work with devices I already have (and which follow Z-Wave or ZigBee standards so I could theoretically re-use them the hub/bridge manufacturer goes out of business or decides to stop supporting the product).

 

[Iconoclysm]

So this is, essentially, just a ripoff of the flic button I already have (pack of four for $100 or so). https://flic.io/

It seems to work exactly the same way, but with a triple press instead of a long one for the third option.
[doublepost=1470928744][/doublepost]

Original post or the Logitech website says nothing about HomeKit anywhere, so I would assume it's not compatible. If they paid into the HomeKit program and jumped through Apple's hoops, I'm sure they would be advertising it.

The way it operates could leverage homekit if the compatible devices do, but in a roundabout way.
[doublepost=1470928862][/doublepost]

Finally! A switch I can put on the wall to turn my lights on and off!

Every time I read something like this, I shake my head. What I can control with a simple switch is so far beyond turning just the wall mounted lights on it's not even funny.

 

[Carmenia83]

Finally! A switch I can put on the wall to turn my lights on and off!

Not sure if this is sarcasm, but in all seriousness, if your lights are Hue, they make a great wall switch already. I had several rooms in my house without outlets controlled by wall switches. The Hue setup is way better than turning on each lamp separately or rewiring the rooms.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Not sure if this is sarcasm, but in all seriousness, if your lights are Hue, they make a great wall switch already. I had several rooms in my house without outlets controlled by wall switches. The Hue setup is way better than turning on each lamp separately or rewiring the rooms.

I do love that switch, especially if you have colored lights or want to read/clean/exercise/relax/home theater/etc. You simply can't do that with regular lights. But this button, and the flic button I mentioned, can do a lot more. I walk into the room and hit the flic button on the table, all the lights come on low or completely darkened near the TV...the TV, stereo, and AppleTV turn on...double tap it, change to Xbox/PS4/WiiU, etc...hold tap, turns off everything in the room. One button replaces the remote and the lights, and it can be used for virtually anything your phone can do without needing to open one app or ten of them.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

There are already plenty of smart switches that directly replace existing wall switches and there are nice controllers on the higher end with beautiful touch screen interfaces to control everything without a personal device (I've even been seeing Creston controllers in hotel rooms of late). These drop-a-button-somewhere type switches have always seemed pretty gimmicky to me and will become irrelevant as Siri/Alexa/Cortana/pick-your-AI-assistant continue to get better and better.

 

[nuckinfutz]

Already have my Philips lights using wall mounted switches at a fraction of the cost. The "only" thing that would have made this worth spending more money versus the $20 Zigbee wall mounted switches would have been HomeKit support. A big miss on Logitech's part.

 

[CarlJ]

No need to be rude. I agree with tuckerjj and others: they don't mention HomeKit support, neither in the press releases nor the technical specifications, and certainly at least the latter would lead one to believe that it's simply not supported--and they'd be foolish not to brag about it in the former if it were supported. ("Scenes" is not a HomeKit-specific term. It is the primary method of driving light changes in the v1 Philips Hue app, for example.)

I didn't take the question to be the slightest bit rude - this is a website about Apple and their products, HomeKit is Apple's entry into the home automation arena, one might reasonably expect an article on some new home automation product on an Apple-oriented website to mention whether or not it plays well with Apple's implementation.

If it tied into the HomeKit ecosystem, it might be more interesting. As it is, I think I'm happier with Hue's dimmer wall switches, which have a nice interface - they're limited to Hue lights, but that's all I'm looking to control so far.

(FWIW, I've also got a couple of iDevices' Switches, controlling a couple of much brighter lights, which I love, except for the fact that they're only controllable via HomeKit - the Hue Bridge offers a nice simple RESTful interface that I can control from a Raspberry Pi, but I've not found a way to have the Pi control an iDevices Switch.)

 

[Madmic23]

So this is, essentially, just a ripoff of the flic button I already have (pack of four for $100 or so). https://flic.io/

It seems to work exactly the same way, but with a triple press instead of a long one for the third option.
[doublepost=1470928744][/doublepost]

The way it operates could leverage homekit if the compatible devices do, but in a roundabout way.
[doublepost=1470928862][/doublepost]

Every time I read something like this, I shake my head. What I can control with a simple switch is so far beyond turning just the wall mounted lights on it's not even funny.

Oh I know, I was just joking. I have some Wemo switches which I primarily use for their timer function.