I recently purchased a set of safety cameras to cover the area around my house. I live in Port St Lucie. I’m not too concerned about burglars, but I thought having some protection would help. The features of the cameras I chose—NetGear’s Arlo Pro and Apple’s HomeKit—made my decision easy.
HomeKit is Apple’s smart home framework. It runs on macOS and iOS. Most people ignore it unless they research home devices. HomeKit is easy to set up and use. It lets you control smart devices like lights, doorbells, heating, and more. The system is both powerful and secure.
What is HomeKit?
Apple introduced HomeKit in 2014. The system helps you manage and control home devices. At first, devices needed a special encryption chip to work with HomeKit. Apple later allowed software authentication. Now you can find HomeKit-compatible devices in many categories—lights, sensors, security devices, speakers, and thermostats. You can view a full list on Apple’s website.
HomeKit works in the background on your network. Your device settings sync through your iCloud account. You control devices with your Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, or iPhone. For safety, you must sign in to your iCloud account. You also need authentication to control devices remotely.
When you set up HomeKit as a smart home hub, you add “accessories” and assign them to specific rooms. You can create “scenes.” Scenes are groups of settings and devices you activate with a tap in the Home app or with Siri. HomeKit also enables automation. For example, you can set the heat to turn on when the temperature drops below a certain level. You can also create routines. For instance, your lights go off, the heat goes down, and your door locks when you open your garage in the morning.
The Advantages of HomeKit
HomeKit organizes your devices by room. You rarely need to use each device’s separate app. You might use those apps to set up devices or to access advanced features. For most uses, the Home app gives you central control.
Scenes make HomeKit powerful. Geofencing adds even more convenience. For example, you can create a scene that turns on lights and music in your living room when you arrive home. Geofencing triggers scenes when you arrive or leave certain locations. You can set routines that trigger when you leave or return home. You can also set a scene that activates when you leave the office. For example, it can turn on your lights and adjust the thermostat at home.
HomeKit lets you invite others to access your devices. You can invite your spouse, children, or friends to control your HomeKit devices.
Remotely Using HomeKit
HomeKit works with any Mac or device running iOS 8 or later, or macOS Mojave or later. It’s best to keep your operating system up to date. Each platform has a Home app that shows all your devices and rooms. The Apple Watch supplies basic controls. I can even see my security cameras on it.
To use HomeKit remotely, you need a “HomeKit hub.” A HomeKit hub is a device that stays in your house to receive controls. An Apple TV, HomePod, or iPad can serve as a HomeKit hub. You don’t need to do anything special to set up the hub for Apple TVs and HomePods. If they use the same account as your HomeKit devices, they register as hubs automatically. For an iPad, go to Settings > Home and enable “Use this iPad as a Home Hub.” (An iPad may not always be at home, so it’s treated differently.)
After your HomeKit hub is established, you can check on any device. In iOS, tap the home icon, then tap Bridges and Rename. You’ll see four hubs: one active and three on standby.
You may also see two “bridges” in the screenshot: a Philips Hue bridge and a base station for my Arlo Pro safety cameras. These bridges are hardware devices from manufacturers. They register with HomeKit and control their devices indirectly.
HomeKit And Securing Tech
Many people use HomeKit to manage devices that protect their homes. These include cameras, doorbells, and sensors. HomeKit provides strong security through authentication and iCloud storage. All your settings are part of your iCloud data. Apple recently introduced HomeKit Secure Video. This feature lets you save video from security cameras to iCloud. Most camera manufacturers charge a subscription to store videos in the cloud. Some, like mine, let you connect a USB storage device to store videos locally.
Your information must stay secure. You don’t want anyone to control the temperature or lighting in your house or gain access to your cameras. Apple approves each device before allowing HomeKit compatibility. They also require two-factor authentication for remote access. Always protect your Apple ID password. Your devices connect to your Apple ID. If someone compromises your account and can access a device you use for authentication, they could gain access to smart locks, security cameras, and more.
Beyond typical home security, I found the HomeKit-certified Fibaro Flood Kit Sensor extremely helpful. Hurricane season is here. Having a smart home running on the HomeKit framework can make the difference between knowing when water has entered your home or returning to a flooded house.
The Future of HomeKit
It took a few years for HomeKit to reach critical mass. Only recently did a macOS release include the Home app. The fully automated HomeKit house is still new. People need time to become familiar with these devices and integrate them into their homes. Apple’s HomeKit helps people appreciate the possibilities of smart home devices. It also makes managing them easy.