HomeKit

With the release of iOS 18, HomeKit now supports Matter 1.2, which brings new opportunities for HomeKit vendors. A perfect example of this is the WELOV Matter P200 Pro. It will now be fully available within HomeKit.

As reported back in June, iOS 18 and tvOS 18 add an option that finally lets users choose an Apple TV or HomePod as their preferred Home Hub to control HomeKit and Matter accessories remotely. These updates are now available to the public, but choosing a preferred Home Hub can be a bit tricky.

Sometimes, a package of products provides a simple way to accomplish a goal. The Eytueo Smart Table Lamp is great for Apple fans as it includes a USB-A and USB-C port on the back and a HomeKit-compatible bulb—making it a great gift idea for an Apple fanatic in your life.

Back in June, Apple announced that iOS 18 would introduce a great new Home app feature: support for hands-free unlocking with an ultra wideband lock. Today, the first UWB smart lock has finally been announced. But unfortunately, it won’t support the new Apple feature.

It was May 2022 when Ikea proudly announced its Diregera hub, bringing Matter support to the company’s smart home line-up. Some two years later, and rather later than scheduled, that upgrade is finally available.

But better late than never, as Matter support means that you can now control any compatible Ikea smart home product via Apple’s Home app …

HomeKit has become a powerful platform, with Apple consistently enhancing its features while staying true to its privacy-first approach. They’ve even contributed to the Matter standard, expanding what the Home app can do. But there’s a big problem we need to address: HomeKit Secure Video. Vendors are largely ignoring it, and while this isn’t entirely Apple’s fault, it’s a problem they need to solve.

In its latest addition to its growing product portfolio, SwitchBot is launching two new products this week: the new SwitchBot Meter Pro and the SwitchBot Meter Pro (CO2 Monitor). Whether you’re looking to manage the temperature at home for optimal comfort, track humidity to prevent mold or other issues or monitor CO₂ levels to ensure air quality, having precise and reliable data is the best way to do that.

SwitchBot has officially launched its latest Matter-enabled smart home product, the SwitchBot Evaporative Humidifier (Auto-refill). This new device aims to simplify home humidification by combining advanced technology with cold evaporation, offering a clean and efficient solution for enhancing indoor air quality. When paired with the SwitchBot Hub 2, it also supports Matter.

One reason I might consider upgrading to the new fourth-generation Google Nest Learning Thermostat is its built-in Matter support. In practice, however, the Matter integration appears to be pretty lackluster. My favorite HomeKit bridge, the Starling Home Hub, has just released a new firmware update that deepens the new Nest’s integration with Matter.

Update: Right now, you can save 18% on the Eve Outdoor Cam at Amazon.

Eve Outdoor Cam is a sleek outdoor video camera for HomeKit, with integrated LED floodlight ideally designed to light up your driveway at night. I’ve been a fan of the Eve Indoor camera for a while, and my experience with the Outdoor Cam is similarly positive. HomeKit cameras are better than ever, thanks to significant user interface upgrades to the Apple Home app in iOS 16.

And HomeKit Secure Video support means clips are saved to your iCloud account in an end-to-end encrypted manner. To make things even more compelling, this set up requires no additional monthly subscription to use, assuming you pay for some iCloud storage. So how does Eve Outdoor Cam and the state of HomeKit Secure Video fare? Very well, for the most part …

HomeKit light bulbs offer both functionality and convenience. They’ve come down in cost in recent years while also getting much more reliable thanks to technology like Thread and Matter. These smart lighting solutions integrate seamlessly with HomeKit, enabling you to control your home lighting through Siri, the Home app, or Scenes/Automation. Beyond just lights, HomeKit light bulbs enhance energy efficiency, improve security, and create customized lighting environments to suit various activities and moods (think dimming as the night goes on). This week, I am looking at the mujoy Smart Light Bulbs.

iOS 18 will bring a huge variety of new features when it arrives this fall, including for pre-installed system apps. One such feature that was never formally announced: the Home app will enable Adaptive Lighting for Matter lights.

Smart plugs are the gateway drug for HomeKit. They’re low-cost and easy to install, and you can get many benefits from them. There are dozens upon dozens of options on where to start, though. The meross MSS315 smart plug delivers almost everything you’d want in a smart plug: Matter support, low cost, and small in size. The only thing it’s missing is Thread support and 5Ghz Wi-Fi.

In an interview on the Decoder podcast this week, Logitech CEO Hanneke Faber sent HomeKit fans into a frenzy when she said the company’s Circle View products were “pretty much gone.”

As it turns out, that’s not the case, but the future of Logitech’s smart home products doesn’t appear to be bright…

Summer is in full swing here in the United States, but my traveling is over for the summer. I spent the week before Memorial Day in Lisbon, Portugal, the week after Memorial Day near the Gulf of Mexico, and a few days in early June in Las Vegas for CriblCon. Having a HomeKit Home hub gives me remote access to all my favorite HomeKit accessories for monitoring energy, tricking would-be burglars by changing my lights, and much more. Here are some of my favorite HomeKit accessories for the summer.

Aqara has built a reputation as a HomeKit leader with the company’s newest devices offering support for Apple’s advanced features like HomeKit Secure Video and home key. For Prime Day, Aqara is offering big discounts on devices like its Smart Lock, Video Doorbell, Camera Hub, and Presence Sensor. Head below to take advantage of up to 33% off.

Lutron is the best in the business when it comes to reliable smart lighting solutions. Its Caséta line works great with Apple HomeKit and includes a wide range of switches, dimmers, and remotes. Today, Lutron is announcing two new entries to the Caséta portfolio: the new Diva smart dimmer ELV+ and new color options for the Pico Paddle Remote.

Apple’s home key continues to slowly make its way into more smart home locks. Aqara, fresh off the release of the U50 smart lock, has just released the Aqara U200 with advanced security features, Matter support, Thread support, and integration with Apple home key.

A number of people have reported their Philips Hue bulbs suddenly switching to 100% brightness, seemingly randomly.

Update: While the problem was reported to relate to Matter compatibility, it’s now been confirmed that the issue is with Hue code – see statement at the end …