An In-Depth Knowledge about Apple HomeKit

Being Apple’s proprietary software and hardware intelligent home platform, HomeKit allows you control a number of popular smart home gadgets and devices, including locks, lights, switches and thermostats.

HomeKit HAP protocol is designed in such a way that it is adept in linking up with other HomeKit devices effortlessly and can be controlled not only via an app, but also with apple’s voice activated virtual assistant, Siri.

makes it even more efficient as it does not require the use of a hub to control a cluster of devices, though an Apple TV or an iPhone is required to act as a gateway when you are away.

Even without a hub, HomeKit devices can easily be configured to work together as part of a modest home automation setup; HAP protocol used by HomeKit optimizes the performance of these devices, facilitating them to require less fuss and troubleshooting than most other smart-home platforms devices.

Apple maintains strict control over HomeKit. Developers looking to have their devices certified as “Works with HomeKit” have to meet not only specific HomeKit HAP protocol standards, but certain hardware and software standards too. In addition, installation of a dedicated chip encryption is a kept as a pre-requisite.

All this is done because HomeKit devices work pretty well and consistently together, an exception among the many smart home systems available today.

The encryption chip is mandatory as HomeKit was designed with privacy and security in mind, and as such all communication between devices is encrypted—not even Apple has any idea what Siri requests you make, how and when does your devices are used , on what settings do you operate them and even hat devices you are using.

This all makes manufacturing HomeKit compliance devices a complicated and expensive task as only a few developers are able to regard every pre-requisite laid down by Apple.

This is the mega reason why there are almost a few dozen of compatible devices available for HomeKit, as compared to few hundred for other smart-home platforms.