What is Apple HomeKit smart home? What to do? How to set up?

HomeKit is one of the popular smart home aids, a product of Apple. So what is the Apple HomeKit smart home? What are the characteristics? How to set up?

What is Apple HomeKit? What to do?

Apple HomeKit is a system that allows you to control all your smart home devices in one place.

This system allows you to control thermostats, lights, locks and other smart home devices with just a tap on your smartphone. You can even use it to control your device remotely.

HomeKit lets you turn lights on or off and dim, adjust thermostats, turn devices connected to outlets with plugs or smart switches, lock and unlock doors, see who’s at the door yours and many other cool features.

With the launch of the HomeKit app, Apple wants to make it easier for beginner users to set up their smart home through its HomeKit system.

How to identify Apple HomeKit products

HomeKit products labeled “Work with Apple HomeKit” have been certified to work with Apple’s system. These products always work together and can automate many tasks that make our daily lives easier and more comfortable.

What is Apple Home on iPhone?

The Apple Home app on iPhone lets you securely control any smart home device that works with HomeKit.

In the app, you can organize devices by room, manage multiple accessories at once, control your home with Siri, and more.

This app will turn your phone into a remote for smart home devices that you can control from anywhere in the world.

Does Apple HomeKit need a control center?

When you’re at home, you just need the Apple Home app to control Bluetooth or wifi-enabled HomeKit-compatible smart devices. To turn those devices on or off in the app, just tap them.

For additional features, including the ability to give other users control of your device through HomeKit, you’ll need a 4th generation Apple TV running tvOS 10 , a HomePod, or an iPad running iOS 10 or later.

How to set up and use Apple HomeKit

How to set up

To set up HomeKit, simply open the HomeKit app on your iOS device. Tap the plus sign in the top right corner to connect devices or create space for each room of your family.

On Apple TV, go to Settings and select Accounts . Sign in to iCloud with the same Apple ID signed into your iOS device. Your Apple TV will be connected as the control center.

How to connect to devices

Some HomeKit devices are connected to your control center via a wifi connection. Some other devices need to be within Bluetooth range of your control center, which can be difficult if you want to control devices that are outside the Bluetooth connection area.

In that case, you may want a Bluetooth range extender, such as the Elgato Eve Extend or ConnectSense Bluetooth Extender .

What devices can work with Apple HomeKit

HomeKit works with a number of smart lighting devices, including those from Philips Hue, Eve, Lifx, Koogeek, Nanoleaf, and Sylvania . For temperature control at home, try Ecobee and Honeywell thermostats.

To keep your home safe, HomeKit works with August Smart Locks , Elgato Eve door and window sensors, D-Link’s Omna security camera ; Fibaro doors, windows, sensors and Netatmo’s facial recognition security system.

Apple Home as an app turns your phone into a universal remote for smart home devices that you can potentially use anywhere in the world.

HomeKit can also control smart plugs like those from iHome and Lutron , the Hunter Apache wifi-connected ceiling fan, Netgear’s Arlo monitor , Brilliant’s full home controller, and even smoke alarms wifi and carbon monoxide from First Alert .

How much does Apple HomeKit cost?

The Apple Home app is free, but you’ll have to pay for the smart devices you’ll set up if you don’t already own them. An iHome iSP6X Control smart plug costs just $27 (approximately VND 620,000), while the Brilliant home controller costs $299 (approximately VND 6,785,000).

Depending on how big your home is and whether you want to control lights, temperatures, locks, security cameras , and other devices, you could easily break the $1,000 mark (or about 22,995 dollars). .500 VND).

Plus, you’ll need an Apple TV, HomePod, or iPad if you want to be able to control your smart home remotely or set up advanced automation.

How to use Apple HomeKit with some devices

HomePod

The HomePod is a large smart speaker with Siri built in. It can act as a control center, allowing you to create home automations with HomeKit.

However, the device also plays high-quality music with seven tweeters, a large woofer, and a six-microphone array. You can ask Siri to send messages, set reminders, make and receive calls, and answer general knowledge questions.

Apple Watch

You can control some of your smart home accessories with your Apple Watch by making them visible as favorites, or simply by asking Siri to perform control commands from your Apple Watch.

Smart home devices

When you set up HomeKit, Siri knows what’s connected, and without opening the Home app, you can ask the virtual assistant to turn the device on or off, adjust the temperature, set the scene, check the connected camera, and more so if you have an Apple TV, HomePod, or iPad set up.

How to access Apple HomeKit outside of your home

HomeKit devices need to be connected to the control center via a wifi connection or within Bluetooth range. Therefore, when you are outside the home, no longer connected to wifi and Bluetooth, it is essential to set up access and remote control of HomeKit devices.

To make Apple HomeKit access outside of your home, you need to create an Apple Home Hub system that allows you to control HomeKit devices remotely without going through a wifi or Bluetooth connection.

Apple devices that can act as a Home Hub such as: Apple TV (4th generation or later) , HomePod, or iPad (running iOS 10 or later) .

To use your iPad as an Apple Home Hub, do the following:

• Step 1: Select Settings on iPad.
• Step 2: Scroll down to search and select Home.
• Step 3: Turn on Use this iPad as a Home hub feature (Use this iPad as Home hub).

Above is the article introducing the Apple HomeKit smart home What is Apple HomeKit? What to do? How to set up? Hope the above information helps you better understand this system!