Technically speaking, Apple does have an initiative built around the smart home, but it's not as aggressive as some other companies. And Apple may have run into a bit of a speed bump recently. According to reports, the head of Apple's Home Services division actually departed not too long ago.
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homeOS remains elusive, but appears again in a brand new Apple job listing
It's been a bit of a busy years (going on a busy two years, honestly), so no one would blame you if you didn't remember that, at one point, it was rumored that Apple could be launching a brand new operating system in 2021. Or just rebranding an existing framework. Either way, "homeOS" was all the rage for a very short period of time, and now it's back to help stoke the rumor flame.
Amazon will add support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit in its smart TVs soon
Back in July of this year, Amazon's "Fire TV Edition" smart TVs made from Insignia and Toshiba started rolling out support for Apple's AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. But, for fans of Amazon who have been waiting for the company's own self-branded TVs, there's good news on the horizon: AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support is coming to those sets, too.
watchOS 8: A redesigned Home app for Apple Watch picks up new smart home features
watchOS 8 brings a significant update to the Home app on your Apple Watch, making it easier to control your HomeKit accessories and scenes, use Intercom and more, right from your wrist.
iOS 14.7 brings HomePod timer controls to Apple’s Home app
Apple's iOS 14.7 and iPadOS 14.7 software has gained a new feature that allows you to set timers on your HomePod speaker from within the Home app on your iPhone, iPad and Mac.
How to control your old garage door with Siri and HomeKit
You don't need to spend big money on a brand new garage door opener in order to be able to control it with HomeKit and/or Siri. Indeed, you can simply use an add-on accessory that will bring HomeKit support to virtually any garage door opener, letting you control it using Siri or the Home app on your iPad, iPhone, or Apple Watch.
I personally upgraded my garage door opener with such an accessory a few weeks ago, and in about 30 minutes, I was all set. Now this is not a hack. This is not a workaround. This is real HomeKit support, and all it requires is the meross Smart Garage Door Opener Remote, a $49 accessory you can find on Amazon.
How to get started and use the Home app on Mac
In this guide, we will show you how to control your HomeKit accessories, rooms, and settings in the Home app directly from your Mac.
Review: The Logitech Circle View Doorbell features great hardware only limited by HomeKit
When I started looking at smart video doorbells for my new home, one specific feature I was looking for was HomeKit support, but as it turned out at the time (merely 3 months ago), there was none. So like everybody else, I settled for a Ring doorbell, which has worked reliably for me. Installation was simple. Set up was a breeze, and daily use was just as frictionless as you would expect from a doorbell.
But then Logitech introduced the Circle View Doorbell in December of 2020, the first device of its kind to support HomeKit, thus playing nice with all the Apple devices in my house and pocket.
So I reached out to the folks at Logitech who sent me a Circle View Doorbell after giving me a short briefing on the product. In this review, I’ll share my impressions of this smart video doorbell. But a bit of warning: this review will be heavily tinted by my experience with Ring, which I see as the standard in the category, or the device to beat, if you will.
How to customize the Intercom settings for HomePod
The Intercom feature released for HomePod gave users a great way to communicate throughout their homes. You can use Siri to send a message to the HomePod in your kitchen, reply to an intercom message from a HomePod in the office, and even use the Home app to send messages to every HomePod in your house.
Whether you have just one HomePod or a few, Intercom lets you communicate your way with a few tweaks. To make the Intercom feature work perfectly in your space, here’s how to customize it for your HomePod.
Sony unveils new BRAVIA XR 4K and 8K TVs with support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit
A new year, which means it's time for TV manufacturers to unveil new TVs. And Sony's not about to start disappointing you in 2021, as it unveils a handful of new smart sets.
How to fix a “pairing canceled” error when attempting to use Apple Fitness+ on Apple TV
If you're greeted with an Apple Fitness+ “pairing canceled” error message when attempting to connect the Workout app on your Apple Watch to an Apple TV, you're definitely not alone. As highlighted on Reddit, some Apple Fitness+ enthusiasts are seeing a “pairing canceled” message when trying to connect the Workout app on an Apple Watch to their Apple TV.
Logitech Circle View Wired Doorbell launches with HomeKit Secure Video support
HomeKit has evolved and improved over the years, thanks to better overall functionality and support from third-party companies like Logitech.