Apple smart home: subtleties of organizing home control systems from the Apple company

Many well-known electronics and software manufacturers are now developing a promising and profitable area of comprehensive automation of living space.One of these developments was the Apple HomeKit smart home.

The American giant has earned an impeccable reputation based on the quality of its products. This is the reason why you should definitely check out this interesting project.

We invite you to learn about the operating principles and functionality of a smart home, the advantages and disadvantages of the automated system from Apple. Those who plan to use the HomeKit framework will benefit from information about devices that can be easily integrated into a closed complex.

The content of the article:

Operating principles of a smart home
Devices running HomeKit
Pros and cons of the Apple system
Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Operating principles of a smart home

Connecting automation devices at Apple is implemented through a framework HomeKit, which runs on iPhone, iPad or AppleTV devices. It allows you to design and combine project modules smart home.

HomeKit finds and registers the elements that will be included in the project. Then the user can set scenarios for their operation, thus establishing the order of automatic actions in the house or its individual rooms.

One of the advantages of Apple automation is that the control and information device is always at hand

There are different types of simple scenarios that can be implemented using HomeKit home automation.

Apple's system can respond to the following events:

Changing the state of the environment. If the temperature in the room exceeds the set value, the air conditioning system will turn on.
The onset of a certain time of day or day of the week. Turning on house lighting at night.
Receiving instructions from the user. Turn on the TV by voice command.
Changing the situation of residents. Automatically turn off the lights if all people have left the house.

Based on templates, the user can design more complex scenarios. All this can be considered high-level programming with an intuitive interface familiar to owners of devices manufactured by Apple.

In 2014, the company implemented for HomeKit a connection to the function of its cloud voice assistant Siri. After the words “hello Siri”, you can give a sound command (for example, “turn on the light in the kitchen” or “open the front door”) and the smart home will respond to it.

The Siri voice assistant is familiar to owners of Apple devices from other applications, so there is no need for special training in working with it.

At first there were many complaints about Siri, but now progress in the development of voice question-and-answer control has led to a significant improvement in the performance of this functionality. However, the Siri system does not always correctly “understand” the user’s requirements. The Russian-language version of this service is available in iOS versions 8.3 and higher.

Devices running HomeKit

HomeKit is a closed system.In order for devices to be recognized without additional tricks (for example, using special services like HomeBridge), they must be certified by Apple. Therefore, the number of smart home elements is not as diverse as for projects implemented using “open sources” technology.

Localization of accessories for Russia

There are few smart home accessories that are officially intended for use in Russia. All of them are presented on the official Apple website. The main vector for promoting this direction is the USA, where some standards differ from European ones. This mainly concerns power supply parameters.

Also, problems with the ability to use devices that are designed for the American market arise with locks.

The American standard Deadbolt is designed for 1/2 or 3/4 turns of the key, not full 180° cycles. Therefore, along with SmartLock, you will have to order and install a locking mechanism.

Devices compatible with Apple HomeKit are indicated by this icon. You can view their location and characteristics in the device passport or in the technical documentation

There are many such examples of non-compliance with standards. Specialists from online stores offering HomeKit accessories are not always aware of such subtleties, and often simply do not warn customers about this.

Therefore, responsibility for the performance of purchased devices that are not intended for our country lies solely with the buyer.

Lamps and light modules

Apple offers Russian customers only 3 LED lamps of the brand Lifx, which operate on 220 V and have a standard threaded base E27:

Lifx A60 - multi-color lamp, consumes 11 W, with a maximum brightness of 1100 lm;
Lifx Mini A60 — smaller-sized analogue of the previous model; also multicolor, consumes 9 W, while producing a brightness of 800 lm;
Lifx Mini Day & Dusk A60 — this lamp is similar to the previous model, only it works in the white or yellow spectrum. If there is no need for color lighting, then it is better to take it, since it is a third cheaper.

All lamps do not operate at full power. These devices do not require a hub or other elements, since everything necessary is already integrated into them.

Such lamps are often used to illuminate bedrooms and living rooms. They are expensive, so installing them throughout the house will be expensive.

Lifx has 8 other lamp models, but they are designed for the E26 base, which is typical for lighting systems in the US and Canada. They will have to be adapted to our connection standards.

There are also devices from other manufacturers, for example, Feit Electric or Koogeek, which also work in conjunction with HomeKit. They may have other features: so the lamp Feit OM60 operates on 120 V, so it will be necessary to install a step-down transformer on the line.

In addition to lamps, other solutions can be used for lighting. Stylish design product - light panel Nanoleaf Light Panels, which has brightness and color adjustments.

It consists of LED modules, each of which has the shape of a regular triangle with a length of each side of about 25 cm. They can be combined to create original patterns.

The maximum number of modules in one design is 30 pieces. Their weight is light, so sections can be glued to double-sided tape. Although you can order branded mounting bolts from the manufacturer

The panel comes with a module Rhythm. It is an audio visualizer that transmits a signal to elements in accordance with the sound background. This combination is often used to decorate nightclubs.

Another stylish device is the wireless remote control Nanoleaf Remote. It is made in the shape of a dodecahedron (dodecahedron). Using HomeKit, you can set 12 panel operating modes, and to select them, just place the Nanoleaf Remote on one of the faces. By simply rotating this remote control you can add or decrease the brightness of the panels.

Smart Switches and Sockets

Carrying an iPhone around the house all the time is not very convenient. Therefore, you can use switches installed anywhere to perform standard operations.

Model Eve Button from company Elgato is a portable button. With the help of such devices, they control devices and run scenarios when the iPhone is not at hand. It can be carried with you or attached in a place convenient for the user.

To work with this model as a home station, you need to configure an iPad with iOS v.11.4 or an Apple TV with tvOS v.11. The button recognizes single, double or long press, so 3 different scenarios can be developed for it. It runs on lithium batteries of the CR2032 form factor.

All powered models from this and other companies (Fibaro, iDevice, Koogeek etc.) are designed for 120 V, so they are not supplied to Russia.

The front panel of the button is only black, so it does not always fit well into the interior. Object length and width: 54 mm, depth: 13 mm

The issue of integrating electrical appliances into a smart home that do not support HomeKit technology can be resolved using sockets.They operate according to the Apple standard and can supply or disable power. The choice of devices localized for Russia is also not very impressive: only one model is available Elgato Eve Energy.

There are five versions with different sizes of this device. For Russia you need to order the “European” version. The maximum permissible current is 11 A, and the voltage value must be in the range from 100 to 240 V.

The outlet also works as a meter, so using HomeKit you can control the energy consumption of those devices that are powered through it.

From the same manufacturer and from many other companies (iDevice, Koogeek, Legrand, Vocolink) there are sockets for a smart home under the American standard of 120 V.

Ventilation and air conditioning systems

So far, Apple has not certified a single fan, air conditioner, heater or air purification system for Russia. The reason is typical for electrical appliances running HomeKit - electrical parameters. Those models that can be controlled from a smartphone are designed for a voltage of 100-120 V.

Electricity supply standards vary in many countries. This is expressed in different voltages and shapes of sockets. When purchasing devices online, you need to make sure that they are designed for our country.

Company Hunter produces 4 models of ceiling fans, 54″ wide, that work with the Apple system. Technically they are almost identical and differ only in design.

So far only air conditioners Haier passed Apple certification. Its subsidiary General Electric Company released a line with a capacity of 8000-12000 BTU for the American market. One model is produced by the parent company only for the Chinese market.

Oil heater De'longhi Multi-Dynamic Heater with a power of 1.5 kW they are produced for the Japanese market. It has 5 levels of heating intensity and operates at a voltage of 100 V.

Air Purifiers for the US market are produced by a Taiwanese company CviLux Corporation (O’pro9 brand) and Korean Coway Corporation.

Sensors for smart home

Sensors are the most numerous and diverse group of elements of any smart home. Apple offers 4 diverse models for use in Russia. All of them are produced by a German company Elgato.

Weather station Eve Degree detects and displays temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure. Powered by CR2450 form factor batteries. Records data to the Apple cloud service.

The station body is made of anodized aluminum. It is completely wireless and can be used both indoors and outdoors.

Room air analyzer Eve Room shows quality (presence of volatile organic compounds), temperature and indoor air humidity. There is a function for recording measurements, so you can track the dynamics of the observed indicators.

The information is displayed on the device display. Analyzer dimensions 54*54 mm. Power can be supplied either from AC power via an adapter or from batteries.

Contact sensor Eve Door & Window designed to indicate the status of a door or window - whether it is open or closed. The device is wireless and runs on an ER14250 battery. Data transfer is carried out using Bluetooth technology.

Wireless motion sensor Eve Motion designed to determine the movement process in its area of effect. It works via Bluetooth and is powered by replaceable AA batteries.

Among the sensors that Apple does not offer for Russia for various reasons are those that do not duplicate the functions of devices from Elgato:

Fibaro Flood Sensor — a device from a Polish company is intended for signaling water leaks;
Netatmo Healthy Home Coach — this device from a French company duplicates the functions of a home weather station, measuring temperature and humidity, but it also gives an indicator of carbon dioxide concentration and noise level;
Netatmo Smart Smoke Alarm — a smoke sensor with the function of immediately notifying the smartphone owner about a problem.

These sensors can also be purchased in Russia in various online stores.

Internet devices and multimedia

Apple did not include receivers, speakers and network bridges in the list of products it offers in Russia. Nevertheless, you can buy these accessories in large chains and, especially, via the Internet.

Apple has its own speakers - Apple HomePod. They are easy to set up and are well suited for creating background sounds in a smart home.

Apple has developed its own protocol for wireless transmission of sweat multimedia data over a local network between its products and other devices - AirPlay. It was introduced back in 2004 and was called AirTunes, and in 2017 the AirPlay2 version was released. You can connect speakers and receivers to HomeKit if they support this standard.

Using the Home application, the owner of an iPhone or iPad can make flexible settings for multimedia equipment. It can be used as a single sound source or grouped into stereo pairs and multirooms.

Many models of receivers from the famous Japanese company are suitable for HomeKit Denon, which specializes in the production of Hi-End class equipment.Three models of the Uniti series from the English company are also available Naim.

In addition to Apple HomePod, speakers from other companies can function on AirPlay2:

Danish Bang&Olufsen;
Japanese Denon;
Danish Libratone;
Japanese Marantz;
English Naim;
American Sonos.

To remotely control a smart home from a mobile application, you need a special device, which manufacturers call differently:

network bridge (Bridge) - Apple, Philips;
smart hub (Smart Hub) - Amazon, Google, Samsung;
Gateway - IKEA, Xiaomi.

If you have an Apple TV in your house, then it can easily cope with this function, but if you don’t have it, you will either have to purchase a device from Apple or buy and set up a cheaper network bridge.

Scheme for remote control of smart home devices using a network bridge. No special knowledge in the computer field is required to set up such a system.

There are more than 20 companies offering network bridges that are compatible with HomeKit. A list of them is available on the Apple website.

Security and detection systems

HomeKit is currently the only integrated security system developed by an American corporation. Honeywell. It is based on the Lyric Controller LCP500.

This device is not suitable for Russia, since voice control supports only 4 languages: English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. In addition, its power supply is designed for 110 V.

Apple offers Russia to use only one camera in its HomeKit system, which the company produces D-link is a well-known Taiwanese manufacturer of telecommunications equipment.

Model Omna 180 Cam HD has most modern technological functions:

Full HD 1080 resolution;
viewing angle 180°;
microSD support;
two-way audio transmission;
night vision.

Connecting this camera to a smart home allows you to send video recordings to user devices when motion is detected. This is possible using Apple software starting with tvOS v. 10.1 or iOS v. 10.1.

For other countries, video cameras that work in conjunction with HomeKit are produced by the Swiss company. Logitech French Netatmo And Somfy.

Locks that work under Apple's control are not sold to Russia.

Models produced for other countries can be divided into two categories:

locking device linings;
a full-fledged mechanism with electronic filling.

When purchasing escutcheons, you need to find out the type of lock for which they are designed.

Lock from the American company Schlade. The Sense Smart Deadbolt model can be opened with a key or by dialing a four-digit code. When the state changes, a signal will be sent to Apple devices

The locks can be key-only or also have a digital touch screen for entering a code.

Automatic window blinds

Motorized curtains controlled by Apple are designed to automatically adjust the light in a room. They can be closed or opened by user command or according to a specified schedule.

Apple does not offer such solutions for our country, so if you want to use automated curtain technology, you need to independently order a model from one of three companies:

American Lutron – Serena Motorized Shades curtains;
Chinese Dooya – Smart Curtain model;
French Netatmo – Velux Active curtains.

To communicate with Apple devices, you must purchase a Caseta Wireless network bridge that comes with your Lutron shades.

Motorized garage doors

Sliding or lifting garage doors are not so popular in Russia. Therefore, Apple does not offer devices for sale that automatically open them.

The insignificant share of sliding and overhead gates in Russia is due to the small percentage of private housing to multi-apartment housing, as well as low temperatures, which disable the mechanism

If you wish, you can purchase sliding gate control devices yourself, but you need to understand that voice commands can only be given in English.

Controllers from the following companies are compatible with HomeKit:

Italian Nice;
American LiftMaster;
English Chamberlain.

All controllers are designed to work with gate drives manufactured by the same companies.

Pros and cons of the Apple system

Apple is far from the first company to develop its own smart home system.Among the largest manufacturers of electronics and software can be called Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Samsung And Xiaomi.

In addition, there are open systems, for example, based on boards Arduino or Raspberry.

Key benefits of HomeKit

The first and most obvious benefit of Apple HomeKit is its ease of connectivity. In order to integrate the device into a smart home, you do not need specific knowledge in the field of electronics, electrical engineering or programming. Almost anyone can screw a light bulb into a base or attach a lightweight sensor to a wall.

Owners of HomeKit lights don't need to understand how to use a capacitor to reduce flicker, since it's already built into the lights. But for those who assemble a smart home at the level of electronics and parts, this knowledge is mandatory

The second advantage is the ability to use Apple devices to control home appliances. This is especially true for fans of the company who are accustomed to the interface of iOS systems.

You can’t ignore the Siri assistant, which allows you to use voice orders to control your smart home. Since the range of commands is not very large, the system works almost flawlessly and very rarely makes mistakes. The only thing is that when using it you need access to the Internet.

Another plus is that all devices that will be marked as compatible with HomeKit are certified by Apple. Since the company’s brand is considered “expensive,” only high-quality devices will be able to undergo this procedure.

Obvious shortcomings and problems

Apple, when attracting manufacturers, took the simple route - it implemented a connecting interface and began to wait for companies to adapt their devices to it.The plan was obviously to promote the brand and a large army of potential customers who are iPhone fans.

iOS's share of the US market is large enough for Apple to count on HomeKit being in demand. Then the system will receive a good impetus for development

We can say that the development of the HomeKit concept is a little late. Therefore, the number of devices that can now operate under the control of a smart home is small. In addition, the company’s policy is focused primarily on the US market, so for Russia the list of suitable elements is quite small.

Many devices that can work with HomeKit are designed for a power supply of 100-120 V. In fact, connecting such devices is not difficult, since you can power individual elements or entire circuits through a step-down transformer.

And when wiring a new house, it is enough to provide circuits with suitable voltage values in advance.

It should also be noted that the price of many HomeKit elements is quite high. The cost of a lighting system consisting of 6 of the cheapest Lifx Mini Day & Dusk A60 lamps will be about 20 thousand rubles. For comparison, the cost of an Arduino MKR WiFi 1010 board and 6 PLED-T32/115 LED lamps of 800 lm is about 3 thousand rubles.

It is much cheaper to build a lighting system based on Arduino or similar concepts. But this requires special knowledge

All HomeKit automation is implemented through “scripts.” That is, there is no full-fledged programming, analysis of several channels of information and launching events based on this data.

Although the example of the same iPhone shows that Apple first develops the basic functionality and only then develops the “intelligence” of the system.So perhaps HomeKit will actually become “smart” after some time, and not just automated.

Who is an Apple smart home suitable for?

You can choose the HomeKit system if:

be the owner of Apple devices and experience the comfort of working with iOS;
prefer solutions that are more expensive, but easy to set up and operate;
do not require your smart home to perform any non-standard tasks and be content with the functionality that Apple offers.

If a person does not meet at least one of the above criteria, then you need to pay attention to other offers. Moreover, the topic of smart home is now very popular, which has led to serious competition in the residential automation market.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Working with a smart home via HomePod. Examples of contacting the Siri sound assistant:

Review of Elgato devices for Apple HomeKit. Socket, motion sensor, door open sensor. Control with Siri:

Working with smart home light bulbs. Adjusting brightness and color via iPhone:

Apple's HomeKit system offers expensive, but very easy-to-set up and manage solutions for automating living space management. Now there are not many devices that can be fully included in a smart home, but their list is gradually expanding.

Do you have anything to add or have questions about organizing Apple smart home control systems? You can leave comments on the publication, participate in discussions and share your own experience of using automated systems. The contact form is located in the lower block.