I wish Apple returned to the router biz, but with a more robust “local” cloud/WiFi router/HomeKit Hub device (with Thread support). What I mean by local cloud is basically a local cache for iCloud which holds content you’ve purchased for quick viewing and device control (when WiFi or internet outages happen). Sort of like an enhanced media server that caches things like device updates, large 4K movies, music you own, personal pictures, documents, etc.
H*ll, yeah! I'd buy an Apple-branded mesh network in a New York minute! And pay a premium for it. The AirTies mesh router I got from my ISP is barely squeaking along, sufficiently annoying that I have my MBP hardwired to the fiber ONT. However, when I tried to replace the AirTies with an Eero router (also gotten from my ISP) we could never get it to properly geolocate, meaning anything that depends on geolocation, like live TV apps and auto-fill websites, would not work. Very frustrating. An Apple mesh router and satellites would be awesome because Apple has fantastic tech support.
Apple exited the router business because they want ecosystem customers to pay for iCloud storage. I made my own mesh network years ago by integrating three TimeCapsules and to me it makes the most sense to have the router as the Homekit hub.
@@3212Dre How does no longer making Airport routers foster use of iCloud? Color me confused. I had figured they found supporting their own routers across a wide variety of ISPs was too labor-intensive for the revenue generated by the sale of a $99 or even $199 Airport Express/Extreme.
@@mpetrides Sorry, I should have been more descriptive. I actually have three Time Capsules (and one Airport), each with 3TB capacity that I use to back up my Apple devices. Now Apple want users to back up using iCloud and the best way to ensure that happened was to discontinue the Time Capsule Routers.
Welcome to 2021 Eric! I can’t argue with anything on your list. * I use an old (stuck on iOS 12) iPad Mini as a wallmounted HomeKit controller. While the idea of a screensaver & Widgets is cool, I just wanted it to go ‘dark’. So, with help from ShaneCreates, I have it set to ‘wake up’ based on a trigger from a motion sensor. - If I were to add to your list... I really would like to see HomeKit automations that could be triggered by status of MacOS/TVOS. Logging-on to a Mac ‘should’ be able to activate a Scene (or whatever) in HomeKit. Again. Happy New Year! Fingers crossed that the world takes a better path than ‘20 led us down.
Oh yeah I really like the idea of macOS login being a Home event for automation, or via Siri Shortcuts when that hopefully comes to the Mac. Happy new year to you too!
Apple should really get back into the router making business. I don’t want to have to buy a speaker or Apple TV just to use as a hub; the router should provide all that. I also wish Apple would make a smart dash cam... it should be able to connect automatically to your home WiFi and alert you if anyone breaks glass, and then upload footage automatically to iCloud. Also, HomeKit doesn’t support robovacs yet, which is really annoying. They keep dragging their feet
Yeah I think Apple could do a lot of great integration with routers. I think the challenge for them is this product probably wouldn't sell for high margins or attract a large user base, but it would enable many nice connections between other things they do.
Nice ideas!!!!! I was thinking that Apple Air Tags might have a nice role in homes where they could be placed in each room and effectively know when your in a room so that lighting could be on and turn off when you leave etc rather than trying to use sensors which don’t work as well if you put a timeout to turn off lighting when your not moving and simply reading a book with not much motion. Basically they could kind of define the proximity of the room relative to where you are with your iPhone in your hand or pocket. What do you think?
I will highly recommend against a mesh network and suggest people get a high end single unit router, personally ASUS has been the most reliable brand for me. Don’t get the ASUS mesh either
Great. Idea Eric. Agree with every item on your wishlist. I would also add the ability to have all features of a device exposed and better customizations of automations natively in the home app vs having to use a third party app such as the Eve app. And I love the Eve app btw but we really need to be able to do/see everything within the Apple Home app itself.
I would really love to be able to see what family members are at home or away, from the Home app. Right now there isn't a way to see how Apple "considers" a user is at home or not. I am having issues with my automations that are linked to the "People" alerts (I'm Leaving, I'm Home, When the Last Person Leaves, When the First Person Arrives Home, and so forth). My Canary cameras shows a small picture of each family member at the bottom of the screen. When they are at home, there is also Home icon supper imposed in the bottom right hand corner of the picture icon indicating that that user is at Home. If the little home icon is missing, then that person is Away. Why can't Apple do something like this?
I think Apple's intended solution for this is the Find My app/service where you can share your location with others. It would be nice to integrate this with home automation in HomeKit though
Eric Welander, I always enjoy your take on the Smart Home experience. What I would like to see in HomeKit is the ability to add a user as the owner of a device in HomeKit. To help explain this my home has 5 Home users in it. Each user is set up in the home app and recognize my voice is turned on for each of them. If I say "Hey Siri, Turn off my nightstand" it should then recognize me and associate a device as mine. If my wife would say "Hey Siri, Turn off my nightstand", It should then act on her device. With personal devices, you could also lock out some devices from voice control and Home app control if the user should not access them. In this example, it could prevent one of my sons from turning out the lights in my other son's room.
The Smart Display needs to be like 250 at max to even have a hope at competing with Google and Amazon, Don't relive the mistakes of the OG HomePod again Apple.
A real Homekit app for AppleTV would be nice. I want the same GUI where I can see what's on or off. I would love to see better integration with HomeAssistant. If they released an SDK to integrate or port over your HA settings, the homepod would end up being the default home hub, and that would be big.
Along with mesh networking and local iCloud, Apple need to implement native BitTorrent technology as part of their platforms and put podcast on BitTorrent and WebTorrent distribution to make a YTub3 competitor. All the big companies are coming to take podcast throne from Apple. If content creators can distribute their podcast content BitTorrent /WebTorrent with a YTub3 style comments and feedback for each episode then Apple will not be responsible for the content. I see in 2 to 3 years less podcast on Apple since everyone is finding more engaging platforms to post and host steaming and live shows. They made pdf native part of the Os, then multi peer networking, coming soon is the built in tech for Tile style device location to millions of iOS devices, next should be BitTorrent /web torrent support as part of Os to for the largest off grid content distribution and communications network . Get to it Apple 🍎
I need to upgrade my Wifi pretty badly. But I'm waiting for Wifi 6E devices to come out and have a selection to pick from. Because I'll be holding onto it for a while. I don't want to just get Wifi 6 and then not have 6E.
A lot of my wishlist is actually improvement on Siri. I wish I could give compound commands like “Hey Siri, turn on the Livingroom and Dining room lights.” I know you can create a scene for that. But in a smarter implementation, Siri and Home app would understand that and perhaps offer to create a scene like that. Another is dynamic volume matching so when you are watching TV or playing music and you ask Siri to turn on a light, the response isn’t too loud or soft. Better would be an option in the Home app to not have Siri speak when the results of a scene is visible or audible. So if I say “Good Evening” I don’t need SIri to say “Good evening coming right up” if the lights just turn on. Another issue is I wish Apple would work really hard to get companies on board. GE, for example has smart appliances. They work with Google and Amazon, but have chosen not to work with Apple. Consumers have little sway. Apple could reach out. Also, for those that don’t, maybe Apple could create an iCloud interface for Apple HomeKit so they don’t have to run it on the device. Finally, I wish Apple would add a menu bar control for the Mac for Apple Home, or even put it into their new control center for the Mac.
Hi Eric, I am new to homekit. You talk about controlling a camera with a motion detector. But is it possible to use a (for example Eufy) camera to turn on a lamp. I can't find a video about this.
What about something like folders for accessories? I know you can group accessories to work together, but I just want an organizational grouping capability.
You can get rid of the "Finish setting up Apple Pay" message on an iOS device without adding a card. You have to click the button that says setup, then it will show you an option that says "setup later in settings" and then it will get rid of the red banner in settings.
I’ve been pretty ‘meh’ on a HomePod screen, because I don’t think it adds a lot that the iPad doesn’t already do, but I love the concept of being able to configure widgets on something like that!
I can see your logic, but I think there's a higher barrier to setup for a wall-mounted iPad that a dedicated product would not require and would therefore appeal to more people. Echo Show and Google Nest Hub have proven there's a market, and I think Apple could charge much more for one that is better quality hardware and tightly integrated with their ecosystem.
@@EricWelander Oh yeah, I'm not a fan of the wall mounted iPad -- I was just considering that everyone in the house tends to have an iPad or iPhone within arms reach at all times. A wall mounted iPad would actually be less convenient for us 99% of the time, and I agree -- it's not designed for that experience, and it's awkward at best. I'm not convinced a HomePod with a screen is for me, but I like the concept of using Widgets to create custom views
Matt - I had exactly the same perspective on a wallmounted iPad - I only mounted mine because it was an older model that got very little usage (and boredom). It has quickly become one of the more frequently used touchpads in our home. It’s mounted in a high-traffic part of the house (for family, not guests), and is in Guided Access Mode - triggered by a motion sensor that takes it directly to the Home App screen. It gets used ALL the time. It’s one of the better accessories I’ve added to my Smart Home ecosystem.
I think a few new apps for the iPad would be better than some new product category for Frames. I do have an iPad Pro which is plugged in about 95% of the time, and I don't understand why having it plugged in all the time would be a problem. And I think it's *good* to have a battery in the Frame-ish device. A few months ago I had a power outage which lasted a little more than 12 hours. I do not have many HomeKit devices right now, but after about five hours without power I didn't have any phone service. That was disturbing. Sounds like one thing you'd need is a app which claimed to iOS that it was playing a movie, and then have it cycle through your photo library. That could be written right now. There are apps like "Alarm Clock HD" or Panic's "Status Board" which could turn an iPad into a good Frame-ish device. The developers would need input from people who use homekit devices, but I think that's a better route to go than creating another hardware product category.
You make some very good points. I just think having to re-implement HomeKit controls and the entire widget system Apple built is too tall of an order for one app and impossible to integrate with the same kind of AI that suggests things on iOS (assuming that continues to get better). No cell service 😱 Lol that DOES sound terrifying
Mesh networks require that you only have one name for your 2.4 and 5ghz frequency. And as we know smart devices don’t like that. They prefer two separate names for each frequency. I have the newest WiFi 6 router from Xfinity and get 1G down. Amazing router. Never have issues.
I don't see anything like an iFrame coming. Way too niche of a product it seems to me. I would like to hear more about Thread. Does it require special hardware - e.g. could the HomePod (not mini) support it with a software upgrade or does it require a special radio?
I would love to see more options for automation including multi conditional ifs. Either n the home app or in the Shortcuts app that you can then load in the home app or home pod.
Yeah that would be nice! Also along those lines conditions around temperature for HomeKit based automation triggers. Temperature can't be a trigger right now in the Home app (only in third party apps)
I’d like HomeKit automations to be able to include light sensor readings in conditions so that lights don’t get turned on by a motion sensor when the room is bright enough already!
They already can. At least with the Hue motion sensor (which includes a lux and temp sensor) I can right shortcuts in the home app with if statements based on the lux level of the hue sensor.
@@geoken2 interesting... I have tried automations written in the Eve app and Hesperus which display in the home app as contingent on the pix of the hue motion sensor, but then trigger even in the brightest conditions... maybe there’s a difference in making a shortcut?
@@davidjohnson2782 yes, there is a massive difference when converting to a shortcut. An automation has a very limited number of options, but when you choose to convert to a shortcut you have almost limitless possibilities. Here is a screenshot of how you would generally do it in the home app i.imgur.com/9Cev4oJ.jpg
@@davidjohnson2782 if you make the shortcut directly in the shortcuts app - then maybe. But if you make it through the home app then it seems like it lives on your hub. I know mine for example will run even when the iPad I created them on is off
On the surface I feel that the HomeKit universe is extremely limited and Homebridge, while being 80% of my home setup, has its own set of limitations. Vacuums and slider tiles are something I wanna see as well as a sound sensor for sharp alarms. I also wanna see more icons for Fans and Lights such as Christmas trees and box fans. One last thing is that I think an outlet/switch icon should be able to be any icon
Been asking for a what you call an Apple Frame for the past couple years; this will be a game changer for HomeKit as this can be a dedicated hub in HomeKit.
At this point, I am holding out from investing in smart home accessories until there is more Thread support. I would definitely be interested in any and all Thread related content.
has already solved the issue of reaching the top of your screen. Pull down on the bar that takes you to the Home Screen. When you do the entire screen comes down halfway.
Yeah I agree Reachability does help, but I still think it's better mobile app design to put key controls at the bottom in modern apps. Apple is doing this in other apps like Maps.
Can thread be added via software to current devices (ie can current hue bulbs all of a sudden get thread support) or does the hardware itself need to be upgraded
Why would I want an Apple-branded screen device (“Apple Frame”) when I already have an iPad mini 5? The mini gives me more flexibility than the device you describe because I can choose to plug it into the wall or unplug it and take it wherever I want. In fact, I do this already; all I need is a case that functions as a stand or, alternatively, a separate stand. I can start watching the morning news in my bedroom as I get dressed then move the iPad mini to the kitchen counter while I’m cooking breakfast then move it again to the dining room while I’m eating. And the price of a mini 5 is comparable to what you suggest.
Your use scenario is great...IF you’re using a wallmount that is ‘temporary’. For those of us that have an iPad on the wall that’s ‘fixed’ (with a dedicated/hidden power feed) it is a bit more complicated. In either case, an iPad is a bit overkill for the tasks that Eric is mentioning. I think that Apple could easily create a ‘mode’ for wallmounting, and have the device react differently for that use situation. OR. It could be done via an App. That said, my interpretation of his ‘want’ is to have an Apple device that occupies the space that’s currently being filled by Amazon/Google/Facebook products. A less powerful machine that’s capable of simply controlling & connecting existing Smart Home equipment, and sharing ‘family’ items. * My only hiccup with Eric’s description would be pricing. $300-500 is a LOT of money for what (I think) he’s referring to. I would say a cap of $250 would be reasonable - ideally, a $179-$199 would put it in my ballpark. But. It’s Apple. So. Eric’s probably closer to correct.
@@uniqueflh2941 That's the point. If the price point is $300 -500 then the device makes little sense because it would be in the same price point as an iPad mini. Yes, the mini would be overkill but it would do the trick (photo screen show notwithstanding) and would be cost-effective, while providing additional versatility, so long as it wasn't permanently mounted. A better idea AT THAT PRICE POINT would be to offer a stand for the iPad mini, with power and perhaps improved speakers. Furthermore, offering a device like the iFrame in that price range would likely confuse consumers. Do I get an iPad mini with that screen size and a similar price or do I get the iFrame? So the price would have to be competitive with the Echo Show OR Apple would have to clearly delineate use cases that would justify the high price. Otherwise, I fear it would become yet another high-priced niche product like the OG HomePod and AirPods Max--which geeks like me love but few others are willing to pay for .
@@mpetrides - Totally agree with the pricing. But. There are (seemingly) a lot that would grab an ‘iFrame’ from Apple...just because it’s Apple. While not totally similar, if Apple were to introduce something like this that fits into a category similar to how they launched the HomePod Mini - they might grab some market... A ‘simple’ iPad that incorporates Thread, Home App & also works well with their Intercom feature...maybe allows for viewing The TH-cams...and has a ‘slideshow’ screensaver. At a ‘slightly’ higher price than the offerings from other manufacturers - It might pull-in some of the folks that would be opting for different devices. But. Yes. If they get =/> $300...might as well just get an entry-level iPad.
From a hardware perspective I completely see the logic going here, but the iPadOS is designed by Apple to be used by one person, and any other use case is ultimately hacking it for a different purpose IMO. This device probably wouldn't have a passcode or touch ID or face ID, and would be displaying shared info from anyone in the home. That's a fundamentally different use case that needs some nice software tied into Family Sharing to make that seamless. The ability to reuse much of how they make millions of iPads for the hardware makes this more compelling with my limited knowledge.
@@EricWelander I finally see where you’re going with this and it makes sense. I wouldn’t have envisioned this use case because I live alone and, as such, the iPad’s one person, one device approach works just fine for me. But a modified device with a simplistic multi-user interface could well be beneficial in a family setting. How would you envision a device like this would maintain privacy among household members if calendars and contacts would be shared on it?
...but with a wall mount built in the back, super light and thin with no battery, and software designed to be hung on a shared home wall rather than used by a single user
I wish Apple returned to the router biz, but with a more robust “local” cloud/WiFi router/HomeKit Hub device (with Thread support). What I mean by local cloud is basically a local cache for iCloud which holds content you’ve purchased for quick viewing and device control (when WiFi or internet outages happen). Sort of like an enhanced media server that caches things like device updates, large 4K movies, music you own, personal pictures, documents, etc.
H*ll, yeah! I'd buy an Apple-branded mesh network in a New York minute! And pay a premium for it.
The AirTies mesh router I got from my ISP is barely squeaking along, sufficiently annoying that I have my MBP hardwired to the fiber ONT. However, when I tried to replace the AirTies with an Eero router (also gotten from my ISP) we could never get it to properly geolocate, meaning anything that depends on geolocation, like live TV apps and auto-fill websites, would not work. Very frustrating. An Apple mesh router and satellites would be awesome because Apple has fantastic tech support.
Apple exited the router business because they want ecosystem customers to pay for iCloud storage. I made my own mesh network years ago by integrating three TimeCapsules and to me it makes the most sense to have the router as the Homekit hub.
@@3212Dre How does no longer making Airport routers foster use of iCloud? Color me confused. I had figured they found supporting their own routers across a wide variety of ISPs was too labor-intensive for the revenue generated by the sale of a $99 or even $199 Airport Express/Extreme.
@@mpetrides Sorry, I should have been more descriptive. I actually have three Time Capsules (and one Airport), each with 3TB capacity that I use to back up my Apple devices. Now Apple want users to back up using iCloud and the best way to ensure that happened was to discontinue the Time Capsule Routers.
Would love to see an in-depth video on Thread.
Welcome to 2021 Eric!
I can’t argue with anything on your list.
* I use an old (stuck on iOS 12) iPad Mini as a wallmounted HomeKit controller. While the idea of a screensaver & Widgets is cool, I just wanted it to go ‘dark’. So, with help from ShaneCreates, I have it set to ‘wake up’ based on a trigger from a motion sensor.
- If I were to add to your list...
I really would like to see HomeKit automations that could be triggered by status of MacOS/TVOS. Logging-on to a Mac ‘should’ be able to activate a Scene (or whatever) in HomeKit.
Again. Happy New Year! Fingers crossed that the world takes a better path than ‘20 led us down.
Oh yeah I really like the idea of macOS login being a Home event for automation, or via Siri Shortcuts when that hopefully comes to the Mac. Happy new year to you too!
Apple should really get back into the router making business. I don’t want to have to buy a speaker or Apple TV just to use as a hub; the router should provide all that. I also wish Apple would make a smart dash cam... it should be able to connect automatically to your home WiFi and alert you if anyone breaks glass, and then upload footage automatically to iCloud. Also, HomeKit doesn’t support robovacs yet, which is really annoying. They keep dragging their feet
Yeah I think Apple could do a lot of great integration with routers. I think the challenge for them is this product probably wouldn't sell for high margins or attract a large user base, but it would enable many nice connections between other things they do.
Nice ideas!!!!!
I was thinking that Apple Air Tags might have a nice role in homes where they could be placed in each room and effectively know when your in a room so that lighting could be on and turn off when you leave etc rather than trying to use sensors which don’t work as well if you put a timeout to turn off lighting when your not moving and simply reading a book with not much motion. Basically they could kind of define the proximity of the room relative to where you are with your iPhone in your hand or pocket.
What do you think?
Oh yeah that’s a cool idea I hadn’t thought of...it could be a nice way to trigger lights etc and even personalized to each person
I will highly recommend against a mesh network and suggest people get a high end single unit router, personally ASUS has been the most reliable brand for me. Don’t get the ASUS mesh either
Interesting. I can see the logic here, especially for smaller spaces. On the other hand I've had great experience with my Eero mesh system.
I want “Smart Dim.” Set a light to dim from x% to y% from time1 to time2.
I think you Frame idea is such a natural progression for Apple in the home. I definitely think Thread is going to start making big moves in 2021.
Great. Idea Eric. Agree with every item on your wishlist. I would also add the ability to have all features of a device exposed and better customizations of automations natively in the home app vs having to use a third party app such as the Eve app. And I love the Eve app btw but we really need to be able to do/see everything within the Apple Home app itself.
Best wishes for 2021 from Belgium 🇧🇪. And yes, ✅ more info about thread! Maybe we will be hub free one day! That would be great!
I would really love to be able to see what family members are at home or away, from the Home app. Right now there isn't a way to see how Apple "considers" a user is at home or not. I am having issues with my automations that are linked to the "People" alerts (I'm Leaving, I'm Home, When the Last Person Leaves, When the First Person Arrives Home, and so forth). My Canary cameras shows a small picture of each family member at the bottom of the screen. When they are at home, there is also Home icon supper imposed in the bottom right hand corner of the picture icon indicating that that user is at Home. If the little home icon is missing, then that person is Away. Why can't Apple do something like this?
I think Apple's intended solution for this is the Find My app/service where you can share your location with others. It would be nice to integrate this with home automation in HomeKit though
Eric Welander, I always enjoy your take on the Smart Home experience. What I would like to see in HomeKit is the ability to add a user as the owner of a device in HomeKit. To help explain this my home has 5 Home users in it. Each user is set up in the home app and recognize my voice is turned on for each of them. If I say "Hey Siri, Turn off my nightstand" it should then recognize me and associate a device as mine. If my wife would say "Hey Siri, Turn off my nightstand", It should then act on her device. With personal devices, you could also lock out some devices from voice control and Home app control if the user should not access them. In this example, it could prevent one of my sons from turning out the lights in my other son's room.
The Smart Display needs to be like 250 at max to even have a hope at competing with Google and Amazon, Don't relive the mistakes of the OG HomePod again Apple.
A real Homekit app for AppleTV would be nice. I want the same GUI where I can see what's on or off. I would love to see better integration with HomeAssistant. If they released an SDK to integrate or port over your HA settings, the homepod would end up being the default home hub, and that would be big.
Along with mesh networking and local iCloud, Apple need to implement native BitTorrent technology as part of their platforms and put podcast on BitTorrent and WebTorrent distribution to make a YTub3 competitor. All the big companies are coming to take podcast throne from Apple. If content creators can distribute their podcast content BitTorrent /WebTorrent with a YTub3 style comments and feedback for each episode then Apple will not be responsible for the content. I see in 2 to 3 years less podcast on Apple since everyone is finding more engaging platforms to post and host steaming and live shows. They made pdf native part of the Os, then multi peer networking, coming soon is the built in tech for Tile style device location to millions of iOS devices, next should be BitTorrent /web torrent support as part of Os to for the largest off grid content distribution and communications network . Get to it Apple 🍎
Thank you for the work that you do. I constantly find myself scrolling through your content because you are very informative about HomeKit.
I need to upgrade my Wifi pretty badly. But I'm waiting for Wifi 6E devices to come out and have a selection to pick from. Because I'll be holding onto it for a while. I don't want to just get Wifi 6 and then not have 6E.
A lot of my wishlist is actually improvement on Siri. I wish I could give compound commands like “Hey Siri, turn on the Livingroom and Dining room lights.” I know you can create a scene for that. But in a smarter implementation, Siri and Home app would understand that and perhaps offer to create a scene like that. Another is dynamic volume matching so when you are watching TV or playing music and you ask Siri to turn on a light, the response isn’t too loud or soft. Better would be an option in the Home app to not have Siri speak when the results of a scene is visible or audible. So if I say “Good Evening” I don’t need SIri to say “Good evening coming right up” if the lights just turn on.
Another issue is I wish Apple would work really hard to get companies on board. GE, for example has smart appliances. They work with Google and Amazon, but have chosen not to work with Apple. Consumers have little sway. Apple could reach out. Also, for those that don’t, maybe Apple could create an iCloud interface for Apple HomeKit so they don’t have to run it on the device. Finally, I wish Apple would add a menu bar control for the Mac for Apple Home, or even put it into their new control center for the Mac.
Hi Eric, I am new to homekit. You talk about controlling a camera with a motion detector. But is it possible to use a (for example Eufy) camera to turn on a lamp. I can't find a video about this.
What about something like folders for accessories? I know you can group accessories to work together, but I just want an organizational grouping capability.
Thank you for the work that you do. I constantly find myself scrolling through your content because you are very informative about HomeKit.
You can get rid of the "Finish setting up Apple Pay" message on an iOS device without adding a card. You have to click the button that says setup, then it will show you an option that says "setup later in settings" and then it will get rid of the red banner in settings.
Please. Video on thread details and potential and ability to communicate with non HomeKit things in the future
I’ve been pretty ‘meh’ on a HomePod screen, because I don’t think it adds a lot that the iPad doesn’t already do, but I love the concept of being able to configure widgets on something like that!
I can see your logic, but I think there's a higher barrier to setup for a wall-mounted iPad that a dedicated product would not require and would therefore appeal to more people. Echo Show and Google Nest Hub have proven there's a market, and I think Apple could charge much more for one that is better quality hardware and tightly integrated with their ecosystem.
@@EricWelander Oh yeah, I'm not a fan of the wall mounted iPad -- I was just considering that everyone in the house tends to have an iPad or iPhone within arms reach at all times. A wall mounted iPad would actually be less convenient for us 99% of the time, and I agree -- it's not designed for that experience, and it's awkward at best. I'm not convinced a HomePod with a screen is for me, but I like the concept of using Widgets to create custom views
Matt - I had exactly the same perspective on a wallmounted iPad - I only mounted mine because it was an older model that got very little usage (and boredom).
It has quickly become one of the more frequently used touchpads in our home. It’s mounted in a high-traffic part of the house (for family, not guests), and is in Guided Access Mode - triggered by a motion sensor that takes it directly to the Home App screen.
It gets used ALL the time. It’s one of the better accessories I’ve added to my Smart Home ecosystem.
I only want a widget for my scenes. Vertically like in the iPadOS control panel (so two scenes at one row)
Totally agree with the Apple Frame idea! I'd scoop that up immediately.
Is there a site that show all thread compatible devices to keep from searching all over for them?
All your complaints are the same ones I have. I really hope to see some of these improvements.
Thanks Kurt!
Can you use the eero for like a nintendo switch or laptop or apple tv or is it just good for homekit products?
I think a few new apps for the iPad would be better than some new product category for Frames. I do have an iPad Pro which is plugged in about 95% of the time, and I don't understand why having it plugged in all the time would be a problem. And I think it's *good* to have a battery in the Frame-ish device. A few months ago I had a power outage which lasted a little more than 12 hours. I do not have many HomeKit devices right now, but after about five hours without power I didn't have any phone service. That was disturbing.
Sounds like one thing you'd need is a app which claimed to iOS that it was playing a movie, and then have it cycle through your photo library. That could be written right now. There are apps like "Alarm Clock HD" or Panic's "Status Board" which could turn an iPad into a good Frame-ish device. The developers would need input from people who use homekit devices, but I think that's a better route to go than creating another hardware product category.
You make some very good points. I just think having to re-implement HomeKit controls and the entire widget system Apple built is too tall of an order for one app and impossible to integrate with the same kind of AI that suggests things on iOS (assuming that continues to get better).
No cell service 😱 Lol that DOES sound terrifying
Mesh networks require that you only have one name for your 2.4 and 5ghz frequency. And as we know smart devices don’t like that. They prefer two separate names for each frequency. I have the newest WiFi 6 router from Xfinity and get 1G down. Amazing router. Never have issues.
I have a Linksys Velop mesh system and no issues with my HomeKit devices
I don't see anything like an iFrame coming. Way too niche of a product it seems to me.
I would like to hear more about Thread. Does it require special hardware - e.g. could the HomePod (not mini) support it with a software upgrade or does it require a special radio?
From my understanding it requires hardware support, but yeah we can talk more about that in another video.
What is apple frame ?
Just an idea I had...no rumors or official info on it at all
You can swipe left and right on the home app to switch rooms.
…unless you're in the Home screen of the Home app.
I would love everything you mentioned. Frustrating how slow Apple can be to implement great ideas
Thanks! Yeah, making stuff is incredibly hard, let alone at the scale Apple operates at
Nest x Apple would be great start
I would love to see more options for automation including multi conditional ifs. Either n the home app or in the Shortcuts app that you can then load in the home app or home pod.
Yeah that would be nice! Also along those lines conditions around temperature for HomeKit based automation triggers. Temperature can't be a trigger right now in the Home app (only in third party apps)
I’d like HomeKit automations to be able to include light sensor readings in conditions so that lights don’t get turned on by a motion sensor when the room is bright enough already!
They already can. At least with the Hue motion sensor (which includes a lux and temp sensor) I can right shortcuts in the home app with if statements based on the lux level of the hue sensor.
@@geoken2 interesting... I have tried automations written in the Eve app and Hesperus which display in the home app as contingent on the pix of the hue motion sensor, but then trigger even in the brightest conditions... maybe there’s a difference in making a shortcut?
@@davidjohnson2782 yes, there is a massive difference when converting to a shortcut. An automation has a very limited number of options, but when you choose to convert to a shortcut you have almost limitless possibilities. Here is a screenshot of how you would generally do it in the home app
i.imgur.com/9Cev4oJ.jpg
@@geoken2 Thanks, I'll give it a try. Don't shortcuts run on your iOS device though and not on the HomeKit Hub (Apple TV in my case)?
@@davidjohnson2782 if you make the shortcut directly in the shortcuts app - then maybe. But if you make it through the home app then it seems like it lives on your hub. I know mine for example will run even when the iPad I created them on is off
On the surface I feel that the HomeKit universe is extremely limited and Homebridge, while being 80% of my home setup, has its own set of limitations. Vacuums and slider tiles are something I wanna see as well as a sound sensor for sharp alarms. I also wanna see more icons for Fans and Lights such as Christmas trees and box fans. One last thing is that I think an outlet/switch icon should be able to be any icon
Eric, check out dakboard...I have it running on an iPad mounted in a frame. It is browser based but its still pretty useful.
Yes, video on thread, currently supported devices, and upcoming support for current HomeKit devices please
My number 1 on the software end would be support for rotary dial switches (which I guess would also allow for touch based sliders like the brilliant).
Been asking for a what you call an Apple Frame for the past couple years; this will be a game changer for HomeKit as this can be a dedicated hub in HomeKit.
Yes sir, please do it
A screen based HomePod kind of product is my absolute biggest HomeKit dream!!
At this point, I am holding out from investing in smart home accessories until there is more Thread support. I would definitely be interested in any and all Thread related content.
I’d like to see greater than 1080p support in HKSV
Please do a review of the new nanoleaf $20 bulbs. What I’ve seen they’re good
I love mine (Nanoleaf Essentials).
They are tough to get! I have one on order. I just got their LED light strip and I'll be talking about that in a future video.
With the settings badge for setting up Apple Pay, just press setup then cancel it
has already solved the issue of reaching the top of your screen. Pull down on the bar that takes you to the Home Screen. When you do the entire screen comes down halfway.
Yes, Reachability is a solution. Enable it in Settings: Accessibility: Touch
@@deasystems Yes! I forgot the name.
Yeah I agree Reachability does help, but I still think it's better mobile app design to put key controls at the bottom in modern apps. Apple is doing this in other apps like Maps.
Estate I’m interested in thread
Yes
I was excited for Matter, until it got bumped to 22
Yeah I hear you!…but in the grand scheme of things it’s not that long. I might talk more about this in an upcoming video
@@EricWelander I'd love to hear more about matter, haven't seen a lot about it at this point.
Mor smart light switch and fan switch options
Just subscribed to your channel.
I would like a video describing the difference between Thread and CHIP
CHIP (Connected Home over IP) runs on the Thread network: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thread_(network_protocol)
Can thread be added via software to current devices (ie can current hue bulbs all of a sudden get thread support) or does the hardware itself need to be upgraded
Thread requires hardware support.
Would love a video on thread!
Why would I want an Apple-branded screen device (“Apple Frame”) when I already have an iPad mini 5? The mini gives me more flexibility than the device you describe because I can choose to plug it into the wall or unplug it and take it wherever I want. In fact, I do this already; all I need is a case that functions as a stand or, alternatively, a separate stand. I can start watching the morning news in my bedroom as I get dressed then move the iPad mini to the kitchen counter while I’m cooking breakfast then move it again to the dining room while I’m eating. And the price of a mini 5 is comparable to what you suggest.
Your use scenario is great...IF you’re using a wallmount that is ‘temporary’. For those of us that have an iPad on the wall that’s ‘fixed’ (with a dedicated/hidden power feed) it is a bit more complicated.
In either case, an iPad is a bit overkill for the tasks that Eric is mentioning.
I think that Apple could easily create a ‘mode’ for wallmounting, and have the device react differently for that use situation. OR. It could be done via an App.
That said, my interpretation of his ‘want’ is to have an Apple device that occupies the space that’s currently being filled by Amazon/Google/Facebook products. A less powerful machine that’s capable of simply controlling & connecting existing Smart Home equipment, and sharing ‘family’ items.
* My only hiccup with Eric’s description would be pricing. $300-500 is a LOT of money for what (I think) he’s referring to. I would say a cap of $250 would be reasonable - ideally, a $179-$199 would put it in my ballpark. But. It’s Apple. So. Eric’s probably closer to correct.
@@uniqueflh2941 That's the point. If the price point is $300 -500 then the device makes little sense because it would be in the same price point as an iPad mini. Yes, the mini would be overkill but it would do the trick (photo screen show notwithstanding) and would be cost-effective, while providing additional versatility, so long as it wasn't permanently mounted. A better idea AT THAT PRICE POINT would be to offer a stand for the iPad mini, with power and perhaps improved speakers.
Furthermore, offering a device like the iFrame in that price range would likely confuse consumers. Do I get an iPad mini with that screen size and a similar price or do I get the iFrame? So the price would have to be competitive with the Echo Show OR Apple would have to clearly delineate use cases that would justify the high price. Otherwise, I fear it would become yet another high-priced niche product like the OG HomePod and AirPods Max--which geeks like me love but few others are willing to pay for .
@@mpetrides - Totally agree with the pricing. But. There are (seemingly) a lot that would grab an ‘iFrame’ from Apple...just because it’s Apple.
While not totally similar, if Apple were to introduce something like this that fits into a category similar to how they launched the HomePod Mini - they might grab some market...
A ‘simple’ iPad that incorporates Thread, Home App & also works well with their Intercom feature...maybe allows for viewing The TH-cams...and has a ‘slideshow’ screensaver. At a ‘slightly’ higher price than the offerings from other manufacturers - It might pull-in some of the folks that would be opting for different devices.
But. Yes. If they get =/> $300...might as well just get an entry-level iPad.
From a hardware perspective I completely see the logic going here, but the iPadOS is designed by Apple to be used by one person, and any other use case is ultimately hacking it for a different purpose IMO. This device probably wouldn't have a passcode or touch ID or face ID, and would be displaying shared info from anyone in the home. That's a fundamentally different use case that needs some nice software tied into Family Sharing to make that seamless.
The ability to reuse much of how they make millions of iPads for the hardware makes this more compelling with my limited knowledge.
@@EricWelander I finally see where you’re going with this and it makes sense. I wouldn’t have envisioned this use case because I live alone and, as such, the iPad’s one person, one device approach works just fine for me. But a modified device with a simplistic multi-user interface could well be beneficial in a family setting. How would you envision a device like this would maintain privacy among household members if calendars and contacts would be shared on it?
So is basically iPad
...but with a wall mount built in the back, super light and thin with no battery, and software designed to be hung on a shared home wall rather than used by a single user
An iPad with no battery, adding some things to the iPadOS an old chassis, iPad Pro 9.7” first gen. That will make it.
I think, I wish, I want to see, MAN....