HomeKit

The smart home ecosystem has practically settled into three camps revolving around the top AI assistants. Some of those products remain rooted to one camp but the enterprising ones try to cover all the bases. For a time, it seemed that TP-Link's popular smart plug would try to woo both Amazon and Apple customers with a single product. Those hopes have now been dashed as the network hardware maker silently announces the Kasa would no longer call HomeKit its home.

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Nanoleaf's modular LED light squares are turning into smart home controls, with a new update turning the panels into HomeKit buttons. Compatible for the Nanoleaf Canvas Smarter Kit, the Touch Actions upgrade builds on the light-up squares' existing touch control, which can be used to turn the LEDs on and off, and play games with them.

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Vizio revealed today it's beginning to roll out Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to its lineup of SmartCast 3.0 TVs. This, of course, means that you'll be able to cast videos and photos (among other things) from your Apple device to your TV or control your TV using the Home app and Siri voice commands.

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Apple naturally has its own smart home and wireless communication ecosystems and, unsurprisingly, it's a very exclusive club. Not just any manufacturer can invite themselves in and support Apple's technologies. No wonder, then, that LG is quite proud of the fact that it is the first TV maker to have support not just for AirPlay 2 but even for HomeKit itself, delivering compatibility with Apple devices for owners of its 2019 AI TVs.

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TVs are no longer just the entertainment hubs of the home, some have even become smart home hubs. But while smart TVs have all sort of Internet-connected features, not all of them are able to support all the streaming services and sources one might like. The next best thing is to stream videos and audio from your phone to the TV and as of SmartCast version 3.0, VIZIO’s smart TVs will be equipped to handle almost all content sources, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

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There might be an overabundance of connected appliances these days but not all of them speak the same language. For that, you would need a gateway that would act as a hub and translator for the myriad connected products you may have at home. Although its name doesn’t always come up in IoT news, abode’s gateway is one of those that can speak multiple languages and integrate with multiple AI assistants. And with the abode Gen 2 gateway, it is getting more capable with the promise of one important integration coming soon.

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While smartphone makers are now obsessed with thinning bezels and notches, TV makers are still pushing for higher and higher resolutions. The market now tops at 8K, even when video content is still coming to terms with 4K. That might not matter though, because thanks to the Picture Processor X1 Ultimate in Sony’s MASTER series of TVs, content is promised to look crisp and clear in the Z9G’s 8K or the A9G’s 4K, even if they weren’t made for such large screens.

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Wemo's WiFi Smart Dimmer light switch is gaining Apple HomeKit support, with a new update bypassing the need for a hub to integrate with Apple's smart home system. Launched back in 2017, the WiFi Smart Dimmer is intended to replace a traditional light switch in the wall, and thus enable remote-control access to the light that it operates.

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Apple's software protocols allowing HomeKit compatibility without demanding IoT gadgets have a physical chip inside have finally made it into the wild. A new firmware version Belkin's Wemo line-up of connected smart switches make them the first to gain support, which is widely expected to light a fire under Apple HomeKit adoption.

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Elgato is spreading the smart home outside with the new Eve Aqua and Eve Flare bringing the IoT to your irrigation system and exterior lighting. Adding to Elgato's growing Eve platform of connected devices, which already includes interior lighting, HomeKit-enabled temperature sensors, and more, the new products are both designed to work with Apple's smart home system.

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Apple's HomePod was delayed, and all we got when it finally showed up was a new release date. Surprise bubbled around the announcement of the smart speaker's February 9 launch earlier this week, after Apple failed to use its extra time to address some of the more frequent criticisms HomePod faced when it debuted roughly eight months ago. No multi-room playback at release, no expansion to grudgingly accommodate third-party music services, and no price change from $349.

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Apple has announced the iOS 11.3 developer beta, and there's plenty to get excited about for iPhone, iPad, and smart home fans. Whether you're an Animoji karaoke addict, need your regular fix of augmented reality in Pokemon GO, or just want deeper control over what's going on in the background of your iPhone, there's something that should satisfy you. While we don't know all the goodies iOS 11.3 will bring, we do know six of the biggest changes and improvements.

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