Voice control is quickly becoming the new standard in smart-home tech. When you tell Alexa, Siri and soon Google to turn on your lights or adjust your thermostat, they actually do it. Like the other platforms, Siri can do a lot of cool (and random) tricks. But Apple’s digital assistant is unique because she can control HomeKit — a platform with dozens of integrated smart-home gadgets and, according to CEO Tim Cook, over 100 more devices on the way this year alone.
Here’s every type of smart-home gadget Siri can control so far:
Lights and switches
Smart lights are one of the simplest categories to get started with in the connected home. Buy some smart switches or LED bulbs, and connect them to your network (either directly or with a hub). Just tell Siri, “Turn on the lights,” and she will.
Supported lights:
- Philips Hue – Bridge, White Ambiance Starter Kit, White Starter Kit, White and Color Starter Kit
- Nanoleaf – Hub
- Lutron – Smart Lighting Kit for Wall and Ceiling Lights, Smart Lighting Kit for Lamps
- Insteon – Hub
Retrofit lighting options
If you don’t want to change out your light bulbs or install in-wall switches, you could also go with retrofit options. Smart plugs and sockets can connect your otherwise dumb lamps and bulbs.
Supported retrofits:
- Incipio – CommandKit Smart Lightbulb Adapter, Smart Outlet with Metering
- iHome – Control Smart Plug
- iDevices – Socket, Switch, Outdoor Switch
- ConnectSense – Smart Outlet
- Elgato – Eve Energy Smart Plug
- Koogeek – Smart plug
- Parce – One Smart Plug
Monitors
The best smart-home tech doesn’t just give you power; it gives you knowledge. Monitors help keep you aware of volatile organic compounds in your environment, as well as potential disasters like fires. These gadgets fit into the HomeKit platform, so you can ask Siri what the temperature of your house is, or whether the CO detector has been tripped — even when you’re out of town.
Supported monitors:
- Elgato – Eve Weather, Eve Room, Eve Thermo, Eve Door and Window Sensor
- First Alert – Onelink Environment Monitor, Onelink Wi-Fi Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm
Climate control
Siri is most involved in the smart home when it comes to climate control. Using connected thermostats is just the beginning. Siri can also control fans, shades and soon air conditioners. All these climate control possibilities can be enacted with simple commands like, “Close the kitchen shades,” or “Set the temperature to 71 degrees.”
Supported climate-control devices:
- Ecobee – Ecobee3 Smarter Thermostat with Remote Sensor
- Honeywell – Lyric Thermostat
- Hunter – Apache Wi-Fi Ceiling Fan, Signal Wi-Fi Ceiling Fan, Symphony Wi-Fi Ceiling Fan
- iDevices – Thermostat
- Lutron – Bridge (can control Lutron Serena Shades)
- Netatmo – Thermostat (UK only)
Security
Both lock developers and voice-control companies have been reticent to integrate their technologies for one simple reason: home security has a lot of potential pitfalls. That’s why Amazon Echo still doesn’t let you unlock doors with voice commands. But with Siri, users can control select locks with simple voice commands like, “Lock my back door.” The catch is, Siri can only control your locks if you’ve entered your iPhone passcode, or if the phone recognizes your thumbprint.
Supported locks:
More devices to come
Apple has announced HomeKit partnerships with dozens of other smart-home developers. Here is the (almost) complete list of devices that have been included in Apple’s plans for HomeKit compatibility.
Ambarella HD Smart Camera — This smart camera looks to be on schedule for release in 2016.
Birdi — Although no details have come out about Birdi’s smoke alarm working with HomeKit, the developer was included on Apple’s list of partners at this year’s WWDC.
Canary — This security camera is one of the first that will be HomeKit compatible when the platform begins to support cameras.
Chamberlain — Chamberlain’s smart garage door opener is another gadget that Apple has included in its lists of future HomeKit-compatible devices.
Coway — Korean company Coway, developer of smart toilets, mattresses, water fountains and air purifiers, was included on Apple’s WWDC list of partnerships.
Craftsman — Craftsman has also been included on lists, although whether they will release a garage door opener or another device remains to be seen.
Cree – Major LED developer Cree will add more lights to HomeKit’s list.
D-Link – D-Link will likely add to a few categories of HomeKit-enabled tech, like smart plugs and perhaps cameras.
De’Longhi – This partnership will bring coffee brewing to HomeKit.
Fibaro – Fibaro has quite a few smart-home gadgets, and the developer has experience integrating with different platforms, as it has in the past with Samsung’s SmartThings.
Fleda – This is another smart lighting solution that HomeKit plans to work with.
Flir – Flir’s cameras have long been on Apple’s HomeKit-enabled-device store. Hopefully it will actually join the lineup once HomeKit becomes compatible with cameras.
Friday – HomeKit is finding more smart locks to partner with, and Friday is one of them.
GE – It’s unclear how GE plans to work with HomeKit, but its smart LEDs are a likely starting point.
Haier – Haier announced HomeKit-enabled air conditioners in 2015. They haven’t been released yet, but Apple still lists them on the newly updated list of HomeKit compatible products available now.
Haiku – Big Ass Fans only works with Amazon Echo right now. But its Haiku fans might be coming to HomeKit, according to Apple’s most recent WWDC list.
Heatmiser – This is another smart thermostat that has been announced for HomeKit compatibility.
Kuna – Kuna has been making good products, and they too were listed on Apple’s latest WWDC list.
Kwikset – Kwikset’s HomeKit-enabled Premis lock was announced at CES this year.
Legrand – Like Insteon and other general automation developers, Legrand will probably bring a few devices into the HomeKit family.
Leviton – Smart home integration platform Leviton was included in the WWDC list of future partners.
Osram Sylvania – That’s right: more connected light bulbs.
Pella – Right now, Lutron’s shades are the best smart shades on the market. Pella might offer some competition, though, and they were listed on the most recent WWDC list.
Ring – A smart doorbell that will open a new category in the HomeKit family.
Skybell – Like Ring, Skybell will be a HomeKit-enabled smart doorbell.
Tado – Tado will bring smart air conditioning and heating to the HomeKit platform.
Texas Instruments – TI was one of the earliest companies to commit to work with HomeKit. How its partnership will manifest remains to be seen, but it has remained on Apple’s lists for years.
Velux – A higher-end developer, Velux will likely integrate its signature roof windows with HomeKit.
Withings – Once HomeKit can work with cameras, Withings Home will likely be one of the first to join.
Yale – Yale will likely be bringing a smart lock (of which it already has a few) to the HomeKit family.
