HomeKit offers us two very useful tools to control several devices simultaneously and / or to perform tasks automatically based on actions that occur and that we can customize almost without limit. The Environments and the HomeKit Automations are two characteristics of HomeKit that make the difference with other platforms and that are worth knowing because with them you will value home automation much more. We explain how they work in this video.
The Environments allow you to control several HomeKit devices at the same time, through a single command or with the press of a single button. You can turn on several lights with a command to Siri, but not only that, but you can define how brightly each bulb lights, including what color, how loud the HomePod sounds, and what playlist you want to listen to, etc. Do you want the living room lights to dim when you watch a movie? Or your HomePod ringing and turning on the coffee pot plug when you say good morning to Siri? You can get it in a couple of minutes thanks to the Environments.
Automations are an advanced HomeKit tool that is very simple and intuitive to use, but with a wide variety of customization options. Choose a trigger, which may be that a person arrives or leaves home, that it is a specific time or that a predefined device is turned on, and what you want to happen after that triggering event, which can range from activating an Environment to which a simple light comes on. Turn on the living room light when you get home, and turn it off when the last person at home leaves, or have the "Movie" Atmosphere automatically activate when you turn on the television are just a few examples of what you can achieve with Automations.
