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As a journalist covering both smart homes and Apple, I’ve been using Apple’s HomeKit platform from almost the beginning after its introduction in late 2014. And while it’s become a mature and powerful way to control the smart home, there are both advantages and disadvantages.
Apple HomeKit Advantages
In my time using the smart home platform, there are some substantial advantages I’ve come to enjoy. These include compatibility across the Apple ecosystem and the hardware options.
1. Strong Integration With Other Apple Devices
One of the best parts of the HomeKit experience is how easy it is to use almost any Apple device to control and interact with smart home devices. You’ll likely start building a HomeKit home with an iPhone. But if you bring other Apple devices into the fold, you can use those as well.
For example, you can access the Home app on your Mac, iPad, and even Apple Watch. With the Apple Watch, you can use exclusive features likeHome Key to tap a compatible door lock to open or close it. If you have an Apple TV 4K, you can view live video and even be notified when someone rings your doorbell while watching a TV show or movie.
2. Privacy and Security Consciousness
Apple continues to emphasize security and privacy on all of its devices and services—and HomeKit is no exception. HomeKit data is securely synchronized between devices and iCloud using iCloud Keychain. The data is encrypted with end-to-end encryption and is only accessible by you. Not even Apple can access the data.
All data about your home, accessories, scenes, and users are stored directly on the device. In practice, I’ve never worried that anyone outsider would be able to access my HomeKit setup.
TheMatter smart home standardand Thread communication protocol are the future of the smart home. Matter has the potential to make smart home platforms obsolete and allow any compatible smart home hub to control any device. While it’s been a slow road, Matter continues to get even better.
Apple has fully embraced both Matter and the low-power Thread communication protocol. All up-to-date Apple devices support Matter through the Home app. And the second-generation HomePod and HomePod mini act as Matter hubs and Thread border routers.
4. Two Nice Smart Speaker Options
A smart speaker is an essential part of any smart home. It’s a perfect way to easily and quickly control smart home devices. This was once an area Apple lagged in, with only the costly HomePod available. But now, the smaller and less expensive HomePod mini offers a much better option for HomeKit users. While more costly than Amazon’s smart speakers, the sound quality is so much better for listening to music.
While I have a second-generation HomePod, I also have a few HomePod mini speakers in my home. It’s great to just say a quick command to Siri turn a light off, unlock a door, or something else simple without pulling out my iPhone or other Apple device.
5. HomeKit Secure Video Is a Huge Advantage
Along with Home Key for smart door locks, HomeKit Secure Video is one of my favorite features of the Apple HomeKit system. When using a compatible video camera or video doorbell, you’re able to use storage from your existing iCloud+ to store recorded video instead of having to pay for an additional subscription. All videos are end-to-end encrypted for maximum security.
You can also take advantage of other unique features likefacial recognition for HomeKit Secure cameras and doorbells. This feature can tell you who is in view of the camera. Instead of a complicated, cloud-based process, all the work is done with your existing Photo Library built in from iOS. While HomeKit Secure Video only records at 1080p quality, it’s a great way to use HomeKit.
Apple HomeKit Disadvantages
On the flip side, there are also some disadvantages to Apple’s smart home option, especially compared to competitors.
1. It Needs a HomePod or Apple TV 4K to Access Devices Away from Home
Accessing and controlling smart home devices away from home is a must for any protocol. But unfortunately, HomeKit puts a costly restriction on that feature. You need a HomePod, HomePod mini, or Apple TV 4K in your home to turn on remote access.
If you’re already a big Apple fan, that’s probably not an issue, but it is a roadblock for someone with just an iPhone and Apple Watch who wants to use HomeKit to its full extent.
2. It Doesn’t Have as Many Compatible Devices as Amazon Alexa
The first step to build a smart home is to decide what protocol is best for you. Amazon’s Alexa still leads HomeKit in terms of users for many reasons. One of those is the huge number of products compatible with the protocol.
You can find almost any smart home product you can imagine, in a wide variety of price ranges, that’s compatible with Alexa. HomeKit still strongly lags behind.
3. There’s No HomePod With a Touchscreen
While I mostly use HomeKit, one of my favorite Amazon Alexa products is the Amazon Echo Show. Amazon has several Echo smart speakers with a touchscreen. Available in a 5, 8, 10, or 15-inch model, the touchscreen unlocks several additional features for a smart home like being able to quickly view a camera feed or control a device with a single tap.
It’s a great way to control a smart home and takes a smart speaker to a new level. Google Home also has many smart speakers with a touchscreen.
Apple has long been rumored to be developing a HomePod with touchscreen, but until the product actually hits the market, it’s a significant downside compared to the other major competitors.
4. It’s More Costly Than Amazon Alexa
Another big part of creating a smart home is cost. Once you factor in smart speakers and devices, it can become a costly proposition. And Apple also lags behind Alexa in total cost.
With Alexa, you can grab a few Echo Dot smart speakers for as much as a single HomePod mini. And because there are more devices compatible with Alexa, you can likely save significant cash compared to building a similar HomeKit option. If price is your top priority, Alexa wins out every time.
As you can see, there are both some advantages and drawbacks to using Apple HomeKit. But hopefully, my experiences can help you make a more informed decision when beginning your smart home journey.
