Home 4+

This app is known for all smarthome builders and users for its straightforward attractive interface which for HomeKit products is amazing but has one MAJOR and when I say MAJOR flaw I mean it. The app has limited smart products that work with this interface leaving the average consumer to not be able to use the app for just about anything and to get any sense of remote connectivity you need to either understand computer programming and server building or just buying constant hub adapters I really do love my apple but due to having not millions in income I have to compromise on products bought and due to the incompatibility of it all I’m left with virtually nothing I would honestly love if companies that are creating a smart ecosystem would allow the user to choose which interface they want to use instead of being forced to have multiple hubs and smart assistants to do every day mundane tasks I understand the reasoning behind it and apple wanting top notch security for its users but it’s hard and costly to get apple approved products and falls in very limited with product lineups the work around is incredibly complicated I wish the companies would just coexist with eachother and work on developing better options and products for the every day consumer

HomeKit and the Home App may not be as feature rich as Google Home, but it is light years better when it comes to stability and privacy. Any HomeKit enabled device can work completely offline, with a HomeKit hub (HomePod, Apple TV, and/or iPad) handling any of the remote access stuff. This drastically increases both your privacy and security.

Furthermore, in conjunction with the Shortcuts app, Home allows for the creation of some really intricate and complex automations. For example, I have an older swamp cooler connected to a smart outlet and a couple of temperature sensors throughout my place. I have an automation setup that when the temp in my bedroom goes above a certain degree, the swamp cooler turns on automatically. However, to prevent the living room from getting too cold, there’s a temp sensors throughout there, that when it goes below a certain temp the swamp cooler turns on. To make things more complex, there’s swamp cooler has separate power for the pump and the fan. It’s a good idea to run the pump for a few min before the fan starts, and to run the fan for a few min after the pump stops. I have an additional automations set to start the pump for 10 min before the fan starts, and keep the fan running for 10 min after the pump stops. It’s great!

We have been religiously using nothing but Apple products for years, peddling them to our friends and family - but today it was really set in stone what an absolute hot garbage dump Apple is becoming. We spent hundreds of dollars upgrading our front door security system with a pro doorbell and electronic smart lock, because - hooray - it can all be used with Home! We got everything all set up, so excited to finally be able to just unlock the door with our iPhones and Apple Watches. I set everything up, so excitedly putting my wrist up to the door to unlock while juggling my 10-month-old and various other items. Great for me! Tried to set up the same ease of use for my husband, but then we realized… HomeKit is now just “Home” and like every other money-grubbing dumpster of a company, Apple has stooped low enough to require JUST ONE MORE expensive device to be able to add the other owner of this house on the app. My husband can’t use his phone or anything else to get into the house without first purchasing the stupid HomePod that no one even knew existed. There is a reason it went away once - it’s worthless. Retire it again and let us use our devices the way they’re meant to be used. Thanks to our friends at Apple, we now have a non-refundable VERY expensive upgrade to our front door that we can’t even use the way it was intended. Appreciate it.