The definitive guide to HomeKit and all the devices available

HomeKit is constantly growing, home automation and the smart home are increasingly the order of the day, so much so that the main consumer electronics fairs are focusing mainly on products that make our lives easier and that have as reference virtual assistants, in the case of Apple we have Siri with HomeKit.

En Actualidad iPhone We want you to know with us everything you need to know about HomeKit, all the devices and the possibilities that Apple's home automation offers. So, head over to our definitive guide to HomeKit and start building your smart home right away.

The first thing we are going to do is take a look at the categories, defining in each case what each of these categories that Apple makes available to us consists of, and of course giving you our recommendations for products compatible with HomeKit that we have analyzed here at Actualidad iPhone and we are sure that they will make your life much easier and above all that you can use them through your iOS and macOS devices. Let's go there with everything you need to know about HomeKit, the all-in-one home automation, connected home and virtual assistant platform that Apple provides to all its users.

Bridges: HomeKit compatibility

Many times we can have separate devices that are not related to each other, which we can control little by little through our application Home. These devices do not require a Bridge, but they cannot be interrelated with each other automatically. For this we have devices that are responsible for combining and controlling all these devices. In addition, most of these products have Compatible switches that will also allow us to access compatible devices without having to go through HomeKit.

We have many bridges depending on the brand of the product, an example is Philips, which has a wide range of sensors and lighting devices, for which it usually requires its Philips Hue Bridge. It is the way to ensure that these devices always work, wherever we are, and they perform the actions that we have previously automated. Not all brands require a bridge, nor do all devices, but even Ikea offers an inexpensive range thanks to the bridge TRADFRI for only € 29,99, which makes its entire range of HomeKit compatible smart bulbs the easy way. In fact, you can even connect the smart curtains that Ikea has already announced.

Cameras: Security also at our fingertips

The camera is another very useful device in the world of home automation, they could not be missing of course in the Apple HomeKi environmentt. Unfortunately it is the least extended area, it is difficult to find cameras that are fully compatible with HomeKit despite the huge range of products we find, however we can find cool offers like the D-Link Omna 180 HD which we have analyzed here in Actualidad iPhone.

Thanks to Apple HomeKit we will be able to control many aspects of the camera, such as a scheduled on and off for those hours when we leave or enter the house. Thus we will receive intelligent and instant alerts (with recordings) on our device that ensure the safety of our home or the surveillance of the smallest of the house. Thanks to HomeKit we will not need strange installations or too much configuration, it will only be to mount and enjoy.

Lights and bulbs: Lighting rules in HomeKit

Lighting is perhaps the section that we most tend to automate through HomeKit, the easiest thing is to install a smart bulb, an LED strip or any type of fantastic product of lighting. We have an example in koogeek, a firm that offers smart lighting products, compatible with HomeKit and knockdown prices, the brand that offers the best value for money to users when it comes to HomeKit.

We can like this tell Siri to turn on a specific light, manage our routines and environments, as well as choose the intensity at which our bulb shines. But not everything has to be pure lighting, we also have a decorative section such as the LIFX Beam that we have reviewed here at Actualidad iPhone and that allows you to create personalized designs with an infinity of possibilities and colors.

Locks: Opening the door with HomeKit and Siri is possible

You may not have imagined it, but if the security of your home can depend on HomeKit, such as sensors and cameras ... Why shouldn't we be able to open the door of our house with HomeKit? Said and done, we have a good number of accessories for the doors such as locks and locks that are fully compatible with HomeKit.

An example is the Danalock V3, a smart lock that we will be able to open from our Apple Watch If we wish, to give us an idea of how far the compatibility and security of HomeKit can go, we can thus completely dispense with the keys, or even open a door remotely if we wish. Of course, opening a door without keys is already a quality thanks to HomeKit and this section of smart locks.

Plugs: Choose when and how you turn it on

Obviously smart plugs are the second big winner among HomeKit-compatible products. En Actualidad iPhone we've looked at quite a handful of smart plugs, even IKEA is launching its range of HomeKit-compatible plugs at affordable prices.

With the smart plugs that will appear in your Home application, you will be able to choose when and how to turn on the devices. What's more, we can choose if we communicate with the plugs through Siri, the Apple Watch or any other device compatible with HomeKit.

Home air conditioning: HomeKit maintains the temperature

Last but not least, we have a good handful of thermostats fully compatible with HomeKit, An example is the significant range of HomeKit compatible products that Honeywell or Eve has that are fully functional. These devices will analyze the temperature, humidity and other sections of our home so that we can adjust all the parameters from Siri.

These products of various brands can be accompanied by a good handful of sensors such as those offered Elgato Eve, which we have analyzed right here en Actualidad iPhone and that They will allow us to adjust the parameters of the rest of the products thanks to humidity sensors, motion sensors and all kinds of technologys that make our home more efficient.

Analysis and guides that you should not miss

As we know that you may have some doubts about the operation of HomeKit in general, we leave you the analyzes of whats best products that have passed through our hands, as well as HomeKit setup guides that will make you get the most out of it.