Not everyone has the means to afford a home automation system. If you want to transform your home into a connected house, know that we now find accessories stamped HomeKit fully controllable from an iPhone. In this tutorial, you will learn how to configure your accessories in order to control them remotely using an iOs device..
Home automation is democratizing
Not so long ago to switch off the lights remotely or program the automatic closing of the shutters, it was necessary to invest several thousand euros in very complex systems. With the development of home automation applications it is now possible to control home devices from a smartphone or tablet without breaking your PEL.
These consumer solutions mostly use HomeKit technology developed by Apple. This system allows users to configure and manage all connected objects, regardless of the manufacturer, directly from an iOS device (iPhone, iPad) via the Home application..
Among HomeKit compatible products are connected light bulbs, switches, smart locks, cameras, air purifiers, garage doors, blinds, air conditioners, humidifiers, wireless thermostats and even doorbells. In short, you will understand that the catalog is very rich and the offer continues to grow.
How to know if my connected accessory is Apple compatible
Currently more than 50 different companies offer HomeKit stamped accessories. To obtain this label, each manufacturer must integrate an Apple chip into their products in order to make them compatible with iPads and iPhones..
The latter must also respond to a heavy specification. Apple for example obliges its partners to protect all connections with ultra-secure 3072-bit keys. For comparison, e-commerce sites use 128-bit keys to encrypt purchases made online.
But how do you know if the device you want is Apple compatible? It's very simple, just check if the packaging includes the HomeKit logo with the words Works with Apple HomeKit .
Add an accessory connected to your iPhone
The great strength of HomeKit lies in its simplified management mode. Everything is done from the Home app. The application allows not only to order the products but also to organize them by room or to control them by voice (Siri).
- Unpack your connected accessory
- Consult the user manual to install it
- Launch the Home app on your iPhone
- Press the Add accessory button
- A new window will appear with the list of detected accessories
- Select the product you want to connect to
- The Home app will ask you to add the accessory to your network. Click the Allow button
- Then scan the 8-digit code provided by the manufacturer of your object connected with the iPhone or iPad camera. If it does not work, you will have to enter it using the keyboard
- Give your new accessory a name
- Then press the finish button to confirm the configuration
Here you can now control your connected accessory from your Apple smartphone or tablet. Note that only devices with iOS 10 are able to use the Home app. Also make sure that your device is properly connected to iCloud and that the Keychain password manager is activated.