Inside iOS 11: HomeKit gains multi-person geofencing, conditional triggers
With iOS 11, Apple has enabled more complexity in the triggers for HomeKit scenes and events, making them adaptable to a wider variety of circumstances -- such as only turning off the lights in your home when everyone has left.
Editor's note: This article was originally published in June while iOS 11 was in beta. It has been updated and republished for the final, public release of iOS 11.
The central shift is support for conditional triggers -- a simple example being that if a lighting scene is set to run when someone returns home, it can be limited to running after dark. A cooling scene might run only when someone is home and a certain temperature is hit.
This links with another addition, multi-person geofencing, to make HomeKit much more suitable for couples and families. Previously location-based scenes were tied to a single device and, in essence, one person.
In iOS 11, scenes can be set to run only when one person comes or goes, or when everyone in the same HomeKit group does -- naturally, this assumes everyone has an Apple mobile device. Air conditioning for instance can remain on until the last person leaves the house, and resume when the first person returns. Forgetful family members might have the lights turn on and off in their room without affecting anyone else.
Apple has also added relative time offsets, which can trigger actions before or after an event. Window blinds might open 30 minutes after sunrise, say, while lights might come on an hour before sunset. Along similar lines, there are also "end" events -- opening a sensor-equipped door to the basement could trigger a ceiling fan, but then have the fan turn off after a fixed amount of time.
In fact people will finally be able to create one-time events, as well as ones linked to specific dates and times. This should be useful for holidays or going on vacation.
Editor's note: This article was originally published in June while iOS 11 was in beta. It has been updated and republished for the final, public release of iOS 11.
The central shift is support for conditional triggers -- a simple example being that if a lighting scene is set to run when someone returns home, it can be limited to running after dark. A cooling scene might run only when someone is home and a certain temperature is hit.
This links with another addition, multi-person geofencing, to make HomeKit much more suitable for couples and families. Previously location-based scenes were tied to a single device and, in essence, one person.
In iOS 11, scenes can be set to run only when one person comes or goes, or when everyone in the same HomeKit group does -- naturally, this assumes everyone has an Apple mobile device. Air conditioning for instance can remain on until the last person leaves the house, and resume when the first person returns. Forgetful family members might have the lights turn on and off in their room without affecting anyone else.
Apple has also added relative time offsets, which can trigger actions before or after an event. Window blinds might open 30 minutes after sunrise, say, while lights might come on an hour before sunset. Along similar lines, there are also "end" events -- opening a sensor-equipped door to the basement could trigger a ceiling fan, but then have the fan turn off after a fixed amount of time.
In fact people will finally be able to create one-time events, as well as ones linked to specific dates and times. This should be useful for holidays or going on vacation.
Comments
Hopefully they've finally added irrigation (aka sprinkler systems) to Homekit as well.
A typical reminder would go something like, "remind me to go over paperwork when I get home," and the geofence would set within 50 yards or so of my building. Except I live on the 11th floor, and by the time I get up there, the reminder has come and gone.
Geofencing needs to start taking things like "device connects to home/office wifi network" in order to become useful to many circumstances.
I use my Amazon Echo for my alarm, but that's "just in case" I sleep in, which is rare. I'm usually out of the house long before the alarm will sound. What I'd like to eventually see is a smart home that will know to cancel the alarm if I'm out of the house instead of just going off for however long it goes off for, or at least send my phone or watch a notification saying something like, "It looks like you're out and about. Would you like me to cancel today's alarm?"
It makes things so easy. In addition to my Phillips lights, I just installed my own ceiling fixture light, and all I had to do was plug it into an outlet in my attic along with a homekit smart outlet and it works perfectly. Also, every once in a while a drunk person from a nearby bar will walk up to my front door, and when I get the motion notification from my doorbell it's always funny to watch their confused looks when they trigger the motion sensor on my porch for the the inner foyer light (set to white light during the day/evening, red light after 11pm). N.B. If you're using the Phillips motion sensor, you may want to cover the ambient light sensor so the light will still trigger even in daylight.
There have been some frustrations, like those pieces of sh_t at Schlage never updating their app to work with the iPhone 7, also lack of some key hardware (e.g. very limited smoke alarm selection, lack of compatible garage doors). I guess that's why Apple is loosening the requirements somewhat, to open the door for more competition, which should give HomeKit another nice boost.
Back on to the actual topic at hand, I think these are all great additions, especially the multiple-user geofencing. I can't tell you how many times my wife has complained of lights turning off when I left the house so, hopefully, this will improve that situation. I'm also looking forward to time off-sets.
Does anyone have any experience with HomeKit enable blinds? I have several Lutron dimmers and switches and have looked into their Serena line of shades but they seem ridiculously expensive. I currently only need one for a relatively small, basement window. When I priced it out on their website it came to about $474 (battery powered, room darkening) for a window that is only 31" x 12". Our house has plenty of custom window treatments and, for the size, this is by far the most expensive window we will have done to date if we go with Serena.
My initial thought upon seeing "sprinkler support" was in-ground sprinkler systems, or irrigation. I didn't realize that wasn't supported in the past as I believe there are already HomeKit enabled controllers for such.
What happens if you write, 'London'?
PS. You are WAY off topic.
Here's the thing though, I was at Tampa airpots a few days ago and out of boredom waiting for an arrival tried to see if I could talk to my Ecobee from there. I was told I couldn't by Siri. I could access via the app. So is the Siri HomeKit connection only available when on the LAN or have I yet to set something up here? Remember I'm a Mac guy and iOS is a mystery to me.
ie send status update (out door gate ) only when I am not home or if 11pm to 6am. Currently it’s and not Or.
it it will be nice to also see the ability to toggle on and off all status notification. This way you can use HomeKit as a type of alarm.
Only sent me status updates when some variable is true. Currently you control each device separately and turning all on or all off would be a pain.