New Smart Home Products Control Lighting, Heating and Humidity

• June 4th 2015

by Tianna Mañón

Apple users are one step closer to being able to control their homes with just the stroke of a finger.

Five smart home products recently announced their integration with Apple HomeKit, a framework which allows users control over different smart devices through their phone or tablet. Most of the announced products allow users to control lighting, temperature, and to turn devices on or off remotely.

Users interact with the HomeKit through Apple’s Home app; they will see an interface that gives them a rundown of the current state of their home. While each partnering app can be used separately, the HomeKit attempts to streamline the growing use of smart home apps and devices.

Here is a rundown of the five technologies that recently went on sale:

• Lutron’s Caséta Wireless Lighting Smart Bridge: Like many smart home products, the Smart Bridge is great for users who forget to turn off the lights in certain parts of the house before going to bed and then can’t be bothered to get back up. Ask Siri to turn the lights off instead, or back on in the morning. The Smart Bridge can also let users know if they’ve left the lights on after leaving home.

• Insteon’s Hub: The Hub alerts users through push notifications or emails if motion is detected, smoke sensors are set off and if windows or doors are bothered. Like many home control apps, it features a schedule function to allow users to automatically turn devices on or off at certain times of the day. The camera component also allows users to peek around their home, a cool function that follows up on the built-in sensor alerts. The app also works with other smart home products and companies, like Nest. Users can also purchase controllers and outside devices that will attach to ceiling fans, lights and other home appliances and devices to gain control of them.

• Eve by elgato: Eve monitors air quality, humidity, air pressure, and energy consumption to give users a better understanding of their home. It also features window devices to let users know if the door or window is open.

• ecobee3 smart WiFi thermostat: Ecobee wants to reduce heating and cooling energy waste. It’s smart WiFi thermostats allow users to change the temperature of their home remotely. Users can put up to 32 sensors around their home to monitor their heating and cooling use and make changes remotely, or from the next room. The company claims that users save 23 percent annually on their heating and cooling.

• iHome’s iSP5 SmartPlug: The smartplug is a small WiFi-enabled outlet that connects with plugged-in electronics around the home. Users can remotely turn off the smart plug, cutting the power to any device plugged into it. It allows devices to become smart home-enabled without the more complicated products listed above. However, this also means it comes without the insights that Insteon’s Hub or Lutron’s Caseta may offer.

These five products are just the first wave in what’s expected to be a growing partnership between Apple and smart home developers.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/new_apple_homekit_products_control_lighting_heating_and_humidity/9965.