Anyone who has started building a smart home based on Apple’s HomeKit standard will sooner or later have reached limits. Some automations are not possible or not wanted by Apple. In some areas, these limitations can be circumvented by using third-party apps, such as the very good App Controller for HomeKit. This allows functions to be used in HomeKit that Apple itself does not offer via the Home app.
But even these apps don’t have full access to the features that HomeKit can actually do. For example, no third-party app can control HomePods or HomeKit TVs, or set adaptive lighting on people – a way that allows the color temperature to change throughout the day. This possibility existed but was removed by Apple. The effort involved in a lot of programming is also increased by the fact that automations from third-party apps can only control one scene at a time, devices cannot be switched directly.
Against these restrictions, the Controller for HomeKit programmers started a petition. It should speak to everyone who has a lot of HomeKit devices at home or wants to create extensive automations.
Let’s hope that Apple will see sense. With the upcoming Matter standard, Apple is opening up the infrastructure somewhat, and perhaps more functions will be released. At the same time, HomeKit will simply be renamed Home. Until now, Apple’s smart home system has had severe limitations, especially in cooperation with Siri. Let’s hope for all smart home fans that the infrastructure provided by Apple will be much better with iOS 16.
