The Nest smart home thermometer, designed by one of the 'fathers of the iPod' Tony Fadell, was on sale shortly after its debut at Apple retail stores. So why doesn't HomeKit support it? AppleInsider explains.
It's not up to Apple to make HomeKit support it, it should be the other way around. It's like coming making a key and complaining that it doesn't fit a certain lock.
The lack of HomeKit support is why I didn't go for a Nest and bought the NetAtmo instead.
Aside from business models, technology protocols, etc., differences, does the privacy requirements of HomeKit really create the incompatibility with NEST and other Alphabet devices. My guess, this will be the big difference. Between Amazon and Alphabet the issue is not privacy, neither care, but rather ownership of customer data.
Alphabet certainly could add the proper hardware to make their devices work securely on HomeKit. They won't. The future Alphabet wants is one where they can access all of your data be it to aggregate it for advertisers or help them design other products. With HomeKit the vast majority of devices would be made by other OEMs and the data would go nowhere near Google. Hence the drive to make a competing standard. The good news though is that HomeKit seems to be taking off, which Nest's competitor is going nowhere fast.
Not being in Home kit isn't the end of the world. As long as I can simply run the Nest app on any Apple device to control my Nest I'm happy. If Google ever stop that app from working then I'd be pretty annoyed but I don't see that happening.
If I was going to replace my thermostat with a smart one, it wouldn't be Nest. Ignoring it's just another Google spying device, I think the Ecobee 3 is just a better overall device and as a bonus it supports HomeKit.
This article is poorly written with grammatical errors, what I assume is an error in a quote and a reference to things like the adoption rates of the Internet of things in 2012 reaching 15%. 2021 maybe?
I honestly prefer the design and feel of my v1 Nest, but the no HK heel digging is a deal breaker for an upgrade.
I have the first version too and I'm glad I do. Google didn't get a chance to mess with it! Some company should bring out an equivalent to the Nest Mk 1 for the Apple eco system, or have they already? I honestly havn't looked.
I agree that this totally stinks. I have a Nest, and I do like it. But I really resent the fact that I'll never be able to use it with the rest of the Homekit ecosystem.
This is the worst example of tribalism that leads to a crappy experience all around. I also got some smart light bulbs for christmas, and they too are not homekit enabled. I don't want to be ungrateful, I appreciate receiving a gift. But it just sucks hard that my "smart" home devices are not integrated with my smartphone platform of choice: iPhone.
Tribalism? It was Apple that chose to make HomeKit a nonstandard, proprietary protocol for the purpose of locking people into iOS.
But they developed the superior protocol that sort of makes it worth locking in, so what's the problem? People use this "lock in" complaint when it really isn't a complaint at all. You're locked into using the more stable, secure operating system...you're welcome!
I honestly prefer the design and feel of my v1 Nest, but the no HK heel digging is a deal breaker for an upgrade.
I have the first version too and I'm glad I do. Google didn't get a chance to mess with it! Some company should bring out an equivalent to the Nest Mk 1 for the Apple eco system, or have they already? I honestly havn't looked.
Or Google can, you know, release Nest with HomeKit compatibility. But they won't for obvious reasons. Which everyone seems ok with. But it's not ok for Apple to do it...then it becomes "anti-competitive", with the words "lock" and "in" being thrown around.
Tribalism? It was Apple that chose to make HomeKit a nonstandard, proprietary protocol for the purpose of locking people into iOS.
But they developed the superior protocol that sort of makes it worth locking in, so what's the problem? People use this "lock in" complaint when it really isn't a complaint at all. You're locked into using the more stable, secure operating system...you're welcome!
What is superior about it vs just using Bluetooth and WiFi?
But they developed the superior protocol that sort of makes it worth locking in, so what's the problem? People use this "lock in" complaint when it really isn't a complaint at all. You're locked into using the more stable, secure operating system...you're welcome!
What is superior about it vs just using Bluetooth and WiFi?
This link does a good job at explaining HomeKit's substantial requirements. Although meant as a criticism of Apple, the article actually explains why HomeKit is the way to go if you care about security.
So after reading this article I decided to pick up a Honeywell Lyric as my first smart thermostat. It works fine but let me tell you about a couple things I didn't know about this up front and that are not mentioned in the product's manual or FAQs.
1. You need a "C-wire" to power your thermostat or you will be missing features and in this case HomeKit functionality. Most places are pre-wired for it, and I was as well. 2. While you can control the thermostat remotely with the iOS application, you cannot control it remotely (outside your home network) via HomeKit (Siri) without an AppleTV installed at home AND it must be set to never sleep.
Hopefully Nest will NEVER try to integrate with HomeKit, cuz I have been using HomeKit from the begining and IT SUCKS!!! My Nest is the ONLY thing that works perfectly when I am away from home. Apple's HomeKit half the time does not recognize any commands while outside of my home.
Apple used to say you needed a 3rd Generation (or higher) Apple TV to access devices remotely, so I bought myself one, my parents one and my sister one, now, after iOS10 NONE of them work!!!! Now you have to have a 4th generation Apple TV or an iPad (that is always on) in order for remote HomeKit access to work! And guess what?? It doesnt!!! I am sick to death of Apple's BS. If they are going to release something, make sure the damned things work!!! I have been an Apple fanboy for many uears and I have finally had enough!!!
my Nest works PERFECTLY when I am away from home and ALWAYS HAS! Hopefully they do NOT ever try to work with the crappy Apple HomeKit app.
Apple used to say you needed a 3rd Generation (or higher) Apple TV to access devices remotely, so I bought myself one, my parents one and my sister one, now, after iOS10 NONE of them work!!!! Now you have to have a 4th generation Apple TV or an iPad (that is always on) in order for remote HomeKit access to work! And guess what?? It doesnt!!! I am sick to death of Apple's BS. If they are going to release something, make sure the damned things work!!! I have been an Apple fanboy for many uears and I have finally had enough!!!
Good. Less reason to buy the spyware crap devices.
...said 0.0001% of the population
Well, I have trouble thinking of a safe system that has never been breached in some way.
From banks down to TVs. Security is clearly going to be one of the major hurdles to overcome before people open themselves up in large numbers to devices that can see and hear you. Obviously, interoperability is another.
Comments
The lack of HomeKit support is why I didn't go for a Nest and bought the NetAtmo instead.
And people complain about using dongles and adaptors for Apple products. This thing needs a whole computer running Linux!
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/07/13/security_apple_homekit_delays/
This link does a good job at explaining HomeKit's substantial requirements. Although meant as a criticism of Apple, the article actually explains why HomeKit is the way to go if you care about security.
1. You need a "C-wire" to power your thermostat or you will be missing features and in this case HomeKit functionality. Most places are pre-wired for it, and I was as well.
2. While you can control the thermostat remotely with the iOS application, you cannot control it remotely (outside your home network) via HomeKit (Siri) without an AppleTV installed at home AND it must be set to never sleep.
Apple used to say you needed a 3rd Generation (or higher) Apple TV to access devices remotely, so I bought myself one, my parents one and my sister one, now, after iOS10 NONE of them work!!!! Now you have to have a 4th generation Apple TV or an iPad (that is always on) in order for remote HomeKit access to work! And guess what?? It doesnt!!! I am sick to death of Apple's BS. If they are going to release something, make sure the damned things work!!! I have been an Apple fanboy for many uears and I have finally had enough!!!
my Nest works PERFECTLY when I am away from home and ALWAYS HAS! Hopefully they do NOT ever try to work with the crappy Apple HomeKit app.
Also, what router are you using? Are you up to date with the latest firmware on it? Routers can be a problem too, as can frequent home IP changes.
That said, I'm glad the Nest works for you!
From banks down to TVs. Security is clearly going to be one of the major hurdles to overcome before people open themselves up in large numbers to devices that can see and hear you. Obviously, interoperability is another.
Open standards is the way to go.