Skeptical.me
macrumors 6502a
Belkin, try the switch, motion, and lights all need a bridge thats over priced for me as I have to import it as its not available in Australia
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.
Wemo Mini Smart Plug Gains HomeKit Support Through Software Update
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Belkin, try the switch, motion, and lights all need a bridge thats over priced for me as I have to import it as its not available in Australia
Oh! If we're talking about free unofficial things, folks have been using HomeKit to control their MyQs since early 2016 (using a free unofficial Homebridge plugin). 🙂
OldSchoolMacGuy
Suspended
For years, Belkin use to have a friends and family coupon code that was 12345 and saved you 50%. Use to buy so much stuff from them, like the Skype phone that looked like a cellphone but connected to any wifi to make calls. Still a great company with great products.
Skeptical.me
macrumors 6502a
Don't get me wrong, I love Belkin great gear and gadgets, but they've abandoned Australia when it comes to WEMo products now. Well, anything to do with Home kit that is. Even this plug, checkout the best deal I could find on Amazon Australia ...
Note that it has to be imported. Its the same on eBay.
I've only ever owned Apple or Belkin accessories. Well, I've had a few other iPhone cases but mainly Belkin for peripherals. And I use to work in computer retail years ago and I always pushed Belkin gear because it's quality stuff that, in my experience, lasts. And great warranties as well.
travoose
macrumors regular
I’ve found the mini plugs to be worthless in my home. Perhaps the physical size limits the size of the WiFi chip in it. The smart plug on the other hand works very well in the exact same locations that the mini plug would not be able to connect to my WiFi network. Ended up returning the minis and now won’t get anything below the smart plug size.
bbeers
macrumors regular
This can't happen fast enough. The dedicated app is good enough, but with the login and load time and the response, it takes just a little too long for me.
akac
macrumors 6502a
I just setup an old Mac as a home-bridge with the chamberlain plugin. Cost me nothing and it works GREAT.
[doublepost=1532026391][/doublepost]https://github.com/nfarina/homebridge
IJ Reilly
macrumors P6
I'm not sure I follow. If I buy a switch that is already HomeKit compatible then I don't need the software upgrade to make it HomeKit compatible.
macduke
macrumors G5
Ok, I ordered a two pack of these bad boys on Amazon. Might get more later. You can get them cheaper ($30 for one or $28.50 each for two) if you order them on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0776YH29B/
What really pushed me over the edge is that they integrate with Ring as well as this new HomeKit functionality. When I'm on vacation I could have lights in my house turn on when someone approaches the front doors or back yard. What I'm hoping is that I can leverage the WEMO triggered actions from the Ring to possibly perform other HomeKit actions like a chain reaction. But even so this will do most of what I want and I can schedule them using HomeKit. Hopefully they upgrade their light switches and motion sensors too. I said it in the past and I'll say it again: I'll be all over WEMO once they add native HomeKit support and now I'm putting my money where my mouth is. Wish more companies would do this.
The only time I broke my rule of only buying HomeKit was with Ring because I got the pro doorbell for Christmas and with the promise of HomeKit coming, I bought the floodlight. It's a good product that does a good job keeping watch over my home. I'd like to buy the Ring alarm thing, but there was no mention of HomeKit. Not sure if I need it, but it could be useful. I like that it's only $10/mo and includes DVR.
What really pushed me over the edge is that they integrate with Ring as well as this new HomeKit functionality. When I'm on vacation I could have lights in my house turn on when someone approaches the front doors or back yard. What I'm hoping is that I can leverage the WEMO triggered actions from the Ring to possibly perform other HomeKit actions like a chain reaction. But even so this will do most of what I want and I can schedule them using HomeKit. Hopefully they upgrade their light switches and motion sensors too. I said it in the past and I'll say it again: I'll be all over WEMO once they add native HomeKit support and now I'm putting my money where my mouth is. Wish more companies would do this.
The only time I broke my rule of only buying HomeKit was with Ring because I got the pro doorbell for Christmas and with the promise of HomeKit coming, I bought the floodlight. It's a good product that does a good job keeping watch over my home. I'd like to buy the Ring alarm thing, but there was no mention of HomeKit. Not sure if I need it, but it could be useful. I like that it's only $10/mo and includes DVR.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
OldSchoolMacGuy
Suspended
Don't get me wrong, I love Belkin great gear and gadgets, but they've abandoned Australia when it comes to WEMo products now. Well, anything to do with Home kit that is. Even this plug, checkout the best deal I could find on Amazon Australia ...
Note that it has to be imported. Its the same on eBay.
I've only ever owned Apple or Belkin accessories. Well, I've had a few other iPhone cases but mainly Belkin for peripherals. And I use to work in computer retail years ago and I always pushed Belkin gear because it's quality stuff that, in my experience, lasts. And great warranties as well.
Each country has additional regulatory requirements when it comes to devices that plugin to power. May be that the price to get those testing and approvals isn't worth the amount they make from the smaller marketing in Australia. Who knows. Just one of the possible reasons they may not be as committed to AU.
I pretty much stopped using Wemo devices - with one exception* - when they kept delaying HomeKit. Their app is frustrating to use and slow to update device status, and I want secure integration with devices from disparate manufacturers.
Wemo switches -> Elgato Eve Energy (bonus energy consumption)
Wemo motion -> Philips Hue sensors (bonus thermometer and no cables!)
Wemo lights -> Philips Hue (WiFi lights make no sense, Zigbee superior)
* I only use the Wemo Maker now, the one device Belkin stopped caring about and didn’t support with their bridge.
Combined with an Elgato Eve Door sensor & Logitech Circle 2 (both in HomeKit), I use it to control my garage door remotely (and no, here in Australia, with a roller door, there is no alternative)
Until now Siri couldn’t access it, but that’s all going to change with Siri Shortcuts. I’ve now created a Siri Shortcut which triggers a garage door ‘button press’. At the moment this is done via an IFTTT email trigger I’ve set up (and under direct vision - or camera - by me) but I hope to ditch this method soon too.
Once HomeKit triggers, etc are integrated into Siri shorcuts it will be even better. I’ll be able to prevent the door button press if the door is closed and I want to close it by looking at the Elgato Door sensor’s status, etc. I’ll then be able to create two Siri Shorcuts - Open Garage Door & Close Garage Door - instead of the one. If Belkin simply allows Siri Shortcuts access to their app, I can ditch IFTT too. Fingers crossed.
Wemo switches -> Elgato Eve Energy (bonus energy consumption)
Wemo motion -> Philips Hue sensors (bonus thermometer and no cables!)
Wemo lights -> Philips Hue (WiFi lights make no sense, Zigbee superior)
* I only use the Wemo Maker now, the one device Belkin stopped caring about and didn’t support with their bridge.
Combined with an Elgato Eve Door sensor & Logitech Circle 2 (both in HomeKit), I use it to control my garage door remotely (and no, here in Australia, with a roller door, there is no alternative)
Until now Siri couldn’t access it, but that’s all going to change with Siri Shortcuts. I’ve now created a Siri Shortcut which triggers a garage door ‘button press’. At the moment this is done via an IFTTT email trigger I’ve set up (and under direct vision - or camera - by me) but I hope to ditch this method soon too.
Once HomeKit triggers, etc are integrated into Siri shorcuts it will be even better. I’ll be able to prevent the door button press if the door is closed and I want to close it by looking at the Elgato Door sensor’s status, etc. I’ll then be able to create two Siri Shorcuts - Open Garage Door & Close Garage Door - instead of the one. If Belkin simply allows Siri Shortcuts access to their app, I can ditch IFTT too. Fingers crossed.
Last edited:
mpainesyd
macrumors 6502a
I would think the potential sales in Australia would easily cover the approval costs, especially at Belkin prices. It may have more to do with consumer laws ("fit for purpose") and product liability.
I have some Australian Wemo switches from before Belkin withdrew from the market and a recently imported Wemo Bridge (which uses a USB power source). They work well with Homekit when I have internet - Telstra currently has a major outage in my area so Siri is not working! Also Homekit does not know when "sunset" is without an internet connection so that automation does not work.
I’ve also had trouble with WeMo products. I have several, and they are by far the least reliable of my smart home devices. Interesting to see that some others have had better experiences. I had pretty much given up on WeMo.
groovyd
Suspended
here a novel idea... if you can't make your smart outlet small enough to not half cover up the adjacent unused outlet then just make it cover both entirely and provide a passthrough for it or better yet just control both outlets individually. just sayin', common sense seems to run thin in product designers these days.
you can fit another plug in under this one you say? lol, thing looks terrible twice the width of the outlet.
you can fit another plug in under this one you say? lol, thing looks terrible twice the width of the outlet.
Skeptical.me
macrumors 6502a
I looked at Homebridge but it looks a bit beyond my understanding to setup. I have a QNAP TS-253Be with the QNAP Club repository that has the Homebridge .qpkg but I have no idea how to set it up, and asking for help on the QNAP forums is a waste of time. No one there is interested in helping those with limited CLI experience.
Skeptical.me
macrumors 6502a
So belkin has totally withdrawn all WEMO products from Australia? Man, why do we constantly miss out grrr
Mac Fly (film)
macrumors 68040
fjfjfjfj
macrumors 6502
The plug is surprised to hear this news.
Hahahahahahaha. This made my day.
I updated the app and shows that a firmware is needed. Any word of when the firmware update will get pushed out? Disappointed that I can't start using it right away.
Same here. I’ve been looking around, and I don’t think they even sell the HomeKit bridge here in Canada (haven’t looked at Amazon since I refuse to shop with them). That said, it was relatively simple to set up my Raspberry Pi with Homebridge to add HomeKit support to my new Chamberlain opener.
fjfjfjfj
macrumors 6502
Same here. I press the button to update the firmware in the Wemo app and nothing happens.