Wemo Bridge will add HomeKit compatibility to Belkin's home automation platform in the fal...

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After a commitment from Belkin to share plans about future Wemo HomeKit compatibility earlier in May, the company has made good on its promise, and has announced the Wemo Bridge allowing currently installed peripherals to function with Apple's home automation solution.




With the HomeKit-enabled Wemo Bridge, current Wemo users will be able to use Siri or the Apple Home app to actuate any of their devices. Taking the same approach as Philips and Ikea, the Wemo Bridge connects to any wi-fi router through an Ethernet cable to enable the product line's HomeKit automation.

In March 2016, the company declared that the Wemo product line would not support Apple's HomeKit "in the immediate future" because a completely separate line of products would be required for the compatibility. At the time, the company's "workaround solutions" didn't fall within Apple guidelines, so Belkin put compatibility on hold.

At present, the Wemo line of home automation products consists of three models of smart plugs, a dimmer, a light switch, two cameras, and a lighting starter set. All of the devices are controllable on the iPhone with Belkin's Wemo app now.

Belkin claims that the Wemo Bridge for HomeKit is planned for availability in the fall of 2017. Pricing is not yet known, and will be announced when the device ships.

Introduced in 2014, HomeKit allows users to connect to a variety of compatible so-called "internet of things" devices through the iOS Home app in conjunction with each other, as opposed to a series of disconnected interfaces. The technology allows for not only touch controls on an iPhone, but Siri-invoked commands as well.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,284member
    Excellent! About time.
    I stopped buying Wemo devices because I wanted to integrate with HomeKit, even though they worked pretty well independently
    tokolosh
  • Reply 2 of 14
    payecopayeco Posts: 581member
    Ugh, yet another hub I need to buy to get my stuff to work.
  • Reply 3 of 14
    rockemsockemrockemsockem Posts: 5member
    There's also the WEMO crock pot. Funny enough that's my most used WEMO device.
  • Reply 4 of 14
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    payeco said:
    Ugh, yet another hub I need to buy to get my stuff to work.
    Do what I did; install a socket inside a cupboard in the centre of the house - then fit a powerline unit with multiple ethernet ports and stick all the hubs there. I currently have a Hue hub and a Tado hub tucked away together, out of sight. I'm probably melting inside from all the radiating signals teamed with my mesh wifi network but it's a small price to pay for modern home-smarts :P .
  • Reply 5 of 14
    tokoloshtokolosh Posts: 101member
    payeco said:
    Ugh, yet another hub I need to buy to get my stuff to work.
    This is why I think I am leaning toward Koogeek products. If I can avoid a hub (or bevy of hubs for the many smart things out there) I will.
  • Reply 6 of 14
    right_said_fredright_said_fred Posts: 803member
    mike1 said:
    Excellent! About time.
    I stopped buying Wemo devices because I wanted to integrate with HomeKit, even though they worked pretty well independently
    yes, I ended up with quite a few of their power switches, due to price, never had one fail. I stopped adding units with their system because they never made good on their promise to allow the switches to be used in multiple locations. One location per IOS device which is a massive limitation. This should solve that.
    edited May 2017 mike1
  • Reply 7 of 14
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,673member
    payeco said:
    Ugh, yet another hub I need to buy to get my stuff to work.

    I agree. It would be great if Apple created a HomeKit bridge API that allowed 3rd parties to develop "hub" apps for the AppleTV.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 14
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,876member
    adm1 said:
    payeco said:
    Ugh, yet another hub I need to buy to get my stuff to work.
    Do what I did; install a socket inside a cupboard in the centre of the house - then fit a powerline unit with multiple ethernet ports and stick all the hubs there. I currently have a Hue hub and a Tado hub tucked away together, out of sight. I'm probably melting inside from all the radiating signals teamed with my mesh wifi network but it's a small price to pay for modern home-smarts :P .
    Interesting. Can you link to the types of devices you're utilizing to achieve this?
    watto_cobratofino
  • Reply 9 of 14
    dachardachar Posts: 330member
    adm1 said:
    payeco said:
    Ugh, yet another hub I need to buy to get my stuff to work.
    Do what I did; install a socket inside a cupboard in the centre of the house - then fit a powerline unit with multiple ethernet ports and stick all the hubs there. I currently have a Hue hub and a Tado hub tucked away together, out of sight. I'm probably melting inside from all the radiating signals teamed with my mesh wifi network but it's a small price to pay for modern home-smarts :P .
    Good news about Tado smart heating. They have finally obtained approval to release a HomeKit Bridge. Seems like it had taken a year longer than first expected but hopefully l will be receiving mine within the next month or two.
  • Reply 10 of 14
    lorin schultzlorin schultz Posts: 2,771member
    Not complaining per se, but if this pre-release image is accurate I gotta wonder why Belkin chose to affix a pigtail to the unit instead of just using an RJ45 ethernet jack. The approach they've chosen really limits placement options. It would nicer to be able to put it wherever I want with any ol' ethernet cable.

    Still good news though, and I'll probably buy one anyway.
  • Reply 11 of 14
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,284member
    right_said_fred said:
    mike1 said:
    Excellent! About time.
    I stopped buying Wemo devices because I wanted to integrate with HomeKit, even though they worked pretty well independently
    yes, I ended up with quite a few of their power switches, due to price, never had one fail. I stopped adding units with their system because they never made good on their promise to allow the switches to be used in multiple locations. One location per IOS device which is a massive limitation. This should solve that.
    Wow. Didn't realize that. Haven't needed that capability, but I can see where that could be a showstopper.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 14
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,284member
    lorin schultz said:
    Not complaining per se, but if this pre-release image is accurate I gotta wonder why Belkin chose to affix a pigtail to the unit instead of just using an RJ45 ethernet jack. The approach they've chosen really limits placement options. It would nicer to be able to put it wherever I want with any ol' ethernet cable.

    Still good news though, and I'll probably buy one anyway.
    Picture is not too clear, but it seems like it could be an RJ45 jack on the unit and the photo shows a supplied Ethernet cable. Hope that's the case.
    beowulfschmidt
  • Reply 13 of 14
    beowulfschmidtbeowulfschmidt Posts: 2,130member
    mike1 said:
    lorin schultz said:
    Not complaining per se, but if this pre-release image is accurate I gotta wonder why Belkin chose to affix a pigtail to the unit instead of just using an RJ45 ethernet jack. The approach they've chosen really limits placement options. It would nicer to be able to put it wherever I want with any ol' ethernet cable.

    Still good news though, and I'll probably buy one anyway.
    Picture is not too clear, but it seems like it could be an RJ45 jack on the unit and the photo shows a supplied Ethernet cable. Hope that's the case.


    That's what I was thinking as well.

    I've been hoping for one ring to rule them all, and in the darkness* bind them for a while now, but it's looking more like I might need to compromise on that.

    *the laundry room, where the router is mounted.

  • Reply 14 of 14
    AppleZuluAppleZulu Posts: 2,006member
    Any updates on this? I like my Wemo switches, but I was assured by a Belkin rep before I bought them that there would be HomeKit integration. Then they abandoned that. By this Spring, I was starting to look at replacing them with something that is part of HomeKit. Then they made this announcement that they we un-abandoning HomeKit last May, so I’ve been on hold. I imagine Belkin won’t announce anything further until they’re ready to start selling this new bridge, but maybe if somebody from AI checked in with them, they might offer at least some vague status update. Anyone?
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