Wemo Mini Smart Plug first HomeKit product to use software authentication

Posted:
in General Discussion edited July 2018
A firmware update to the Wemo Smart Plug makes the product the first of its kind to offer Apple HomeKit software authentication.

Wemo Mini smart plug


Wemo said that an update to Wemo Mini Smart Plug is being rolled out to users that will give them the ability to add Apple HomeKit software authentication to their devices. The capability will arrive via a firmware update, starting Thursday and continuing through July 27.

According to Wemo, users will now be able to add their Mini products to the Apple Home app, control them with Siri, and get them to work with other products that are part of the Home ecosystem -- and do so without a hardware network bridge.

"We have sold more than one million Wemo Minis and with Apple's new software authentication of HomeKit, our customers can easily integrate their Wemo devices with the Apple Home app and Siri, to enjoy the full Apple experience of home control," Justin Doucette, senior director of product management for Wemo said as part of the announcement.

Apple formerly required hardware encryption for HomeKit devices. As the chips were expensive, HomeKit bridges or hubs were used to connect multiple products from one vendor.

To change the landscape, Apple previewed software authentication at WWDC in 2017, at the same time that it opened up HomeKit development. It finally rolled out with iOS 11.3 earlier this year.

With authentication enabled, devices running iOS 11.3 (or tvOS 11.3) can use software in a HomeKit device for encryption of network communications. And Apple hinted at the time that HomeKit would be enabled directly on some older devices, through firmware updates.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    optikoptik Posts: 25member
    Looks like they could of put the logo on
    top then have plug 1&2 hmmm. Just a reason to come out with another product 

    edited July 2018
  • Reply 2 of 11
    So I had to buy the bridge for my wemo mini plug to get it to work with HomeKit. Now it’s not necessary?
    watto_cobrallamamike1
  • Reply 3 of 11
    racerhomie3racerhomie3 Posts: 1,264member
    Article got cut off at ‘About Authentication’ section inside the app.
  • Reply 4 of 11
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,350member
    What a bunch of bitchy little girls.

    Except for homie. That's a legit observation, not a whine.
    mike1
  • Reply 5 of 11
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    TeamNIR said:
    So I had to buy the bridge for my wemo mini plug to get it to work with HomeKit. Now it’s not necessary?
    Correct. 
    llama
  • Reply 6 of 11
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    optik said:
    Looks like they could of put the logo on
    top then have plug 1&2 hmmm. Just a reason to come out with another product 

    Yes that would have been great. I have 6 of these used in my home but would have needed only 4 had they been double outlets. 
  • Reply 7 of 11
    vmarksvmarks Posts: 762editor
    TeamNIR said:
    So I had to buy the bridge for my wemo mini plug to get it to work with HomeKit. Now it’s not necessary?
    If you only have a WeMo mini plug, then yes, that's not necessary any longer. If you have other WeMo devices, it's still necessary. Do you have more than just the one plug?
  • Reply 8 of 11
    TeamNIRTeamNIR Posts: 4member
    vmarks said:
    TeamNIR said:
    So I had to buy the bridge for my wemo mini plug to get it to work with HomeKit. Now it’s not necessary?
    If you only have a WeMo mini plug, then yes, that's not necessary any longer. If you have other WeMo devices, it's still necessary. Do you have more than just the one plug?
    I just have the plugs.
  • Reply 9 of 11
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,273member
    gatorguy said:
    optik said:
    Looks like they could of put the logo on
    top then have plug 1&2 hmmm. Just a reason to come out with another product 

    Yes that would have been great. I have 6 of these used in my home but would have needed only 4 had they been double outlets. 
    Would you be expecting independent control or that they work together? If together, you can add an outlet strip to the Wemo. At least the Minis make it possible to use two in the same outlet set.
  • Reply 10 of 11
    "And Apple hinted at the time that HomeKit would be enabled directly on some older devices, through firmware updates." I have older Wemo mini plugs, and according to above quote from the article, they should work with Apple Home app (after adding via Wemo app, which I did). Why does the Home app keep asking me for the 8-digit code that the newer Wemo plugs have, that my old one does not have?!! 🤔
  • Reply 11 of 11
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,837administrator
    "And Apple hinted at the time that HomeKit would be enabled directly on some older devices, through firmware updates." I have older Wemo mini plugs, and according to above quote from the article, they should work with Apple Home app (after adding via Wemo app, which I did). Why does the Home app keep asking me for the 8-digit code that the newer Wemo plugs have, that my old one does not have?!! 🤔
    Is the firmware up to date on the plugs?
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