Zwave and Home Kit

[asbril]

What is the future between Zwave and Apple's Home Kit ? From what I read, Apple will allow bridges to control (certain) Zwave devices from Home Kit approved Apps, but Apple will not allow Zwave controllers to control Home Kit devices.

If my understanding is correct, then this may be a bummer for ISY, Wink, Homeseer, Smarthing etc.and may eventually affect Zwave's future in general.

Am I correct ?

[mwester]

Interesting how you phrase that... rather like that famous question: "Are you still beating your wife?" -- there's a foregone conclusion in there that hasn't yet been proven!

 

I might have phrased the question thusly: "...then this may be a bummer for Apple, and eventually affect HomeKit's future in general."

 

 

Apple wants to own the ecosystem. Like headphones on the iPhone, they'll let others sell into that ecosystem in little ways, but just like the latest thing with the removal of the headphone jack, you'll sell into their ecosystem ONLY if you toe their line!

 

It's not yet proven that Apple will win the home automation space, nor is it at all proven that ZWave is dead yet.  Please don't try to spread more FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) by poor choice of words in your questions!

[lilyoyo1]

Zwave has been around for many many years and continues to grow. To say it will fail because of Apple is a fallacy. Apple hasn't made much headway in HA themselves. 

Yes Apple has some loyal fans which acts like the world revolves around Apple. However there are many many others who really dont care. Yes they love Apple phones but do not need everything they have to offer.

 

Even homekit supporters aren't putting all of their eggs into homekits basket. They are creating their own ecosystems and simply allowing their devices to be used within homekit. Over a year later, there still isn't a flood of homekit compatible devices nor a compelling reason to tie yourself to them rather than a third party controller (unless you have to use Siri)

[asbril]

Interesting how you phrase that... rather like that famous question: "Are you still beating your wife?" -- there's a foregone conclusion in there that hasn't yet been proven!

 

I might have phrased the question thusly: "...then this may be a bummer for Apple, and eventually affect HomeKit's future in general."

 

 

Apple wants to own the ecosystem. Like headphones on the iPhone, they'll let others sell into that ecosystem in little ways, but just like the latest thing with the removal of the headphone jack, you'll sell into their ecosystem ONLY if you toe their line!

 

It's not yet proven that Apple will win the home automation space, nor is it at all proven that ZWave is dead yet.  Please don't try to spread more FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) by poor choice of words in your questions!

I apologize if my comment was perceived as somewhat 'FUD'.  I am a great fan of ISY and Michel's team and I wish them lots of success. Your analysis of Apple's approach is correct and we know that sometimes the mammoths  don't get it their way. I even wonder whether Apple's approach with Home Kit could be perceived as unfair competition as Microsoft experienced when imposing the Internet Explorer.

Nevertheless I believe that my question / concern (maybe better worded)  deserves consideration. Apple IS powerful and if many manufacturers start producing MFI patented devices, it could become an issue for us fans of Zwave and ISY that we can not combine Zwave with Home Kit.

[lilyoyo1]

The fallacy of homekit is that companies will produce for it. They make more money building their own ecosystems and having it work great in itself. Building specifically for homekit limits their sales as all devices would be created equal for the most part. For example; why build a switch specifically for homekit when they would all work the same within homekit. It's much better to have your own system with features that differentiates it from someone else's system. Then add the chip so Siri can control it.

 

This allows a mfg. to sell additional devices and build out their ecosystem. In the long run; if done properly, the need/usage (in the mfg eyes) for homekit lessens and their ecosystem grows. 

 

 

Personally, I think having independent devices that work however you want will win out in the end. As people become more in-tuned to the downsides of a single system that locks you in such as homekit, I feel that independent hubs such as the ISY and smartthings will prevail long term over proprietary systems.

[G W]

I've been involved in "electronics helping humans live happier" since 1970. I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly. I've seen what Hewlett Packard can do, I've seen what Microsoft can do. Neither have bothered to bring their technology to the consumer home.

 

Now Apple brings their so named "Home Kit" to the consumer market without as much as a years research and people flock to it like it was handed down by the Greek Gods. The only thing Apple has in this is the Apple name. All Apple has done is to bind a lot of low-tech together. It's the wrong approach and it will not work for home automation. Where it does work it is a year and more behind.

 

I want total control and I want true automation at the consumer level. That requires much more than Apple is capable of this decade. There is not now and I doubt there will be, a one stop shop.

 

We need more sensors that work. Beacons do what they do but they don't do what we want them to do. Many are trying to use them backwards. People are tagging a stationary objects instead of the moving object.

 

We want voice and body recognition. We don't have it at the consumer level. Apple is not the company to give it to us. Apple has it wrong but Apple knows the consumer will buy.

 

Too bad.

 

 

Best regards,

Gary Funk

[larryllix]

I've been involved in "electronics helping humans live happier" since 1970. I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly. I've seen what Hewlett Packard can do, I've seen what Microsoft can do. Neither have bothered to bring their technology to the consumer home.

 

Now Apple brings their so named "Home Kit" to the consumer market without as much as a years research and people flock to it like it was handed down by the Greek Gods. The only thing Apple has in this is the Apple name. All Apple has done is to bind a lot of low-tech together. It's the wrong approach and it will not work for home automation. Where it does work it is a year and more behind.

 

I want total control and I want true automation at the consumer level. That requires much more than Apple is capable of this decade. There is not now and I doubt there will be, a one stop shop.

 

We need more sensors that work. Beacons do what they do but they don't do what we want them to do. Many are trying to use them backwards. People are tagging a stationary objects instead of the moving object.

 

We want voice and body recognition. We don't have it at the consumer level. Apple is not the company to give it to us. Apple has it wrong but Apple knows the consumer will buy.

 

Too bad.

 

 

Best regards,

Gary Funk

You been reading that old George Orwell book again?

[G W]

You been reading that old George Orwell book again?

Again? I never read it a first time. I want tje end of the world to be a surprise.

 

Best regards,

Gary Funk