More details on HomeKit

[LarrylLix]

Controlling accessories is not Home Automation but rather just remote control. Don't confuse the two.
 
Homekit is a just framework to let developers write further applications for  Apple distribution.
 
Apple states that the Apple iCloud will be necessary for remote control and I doubt they will allow any direct control via VPN. That's not Apple's past practice.
 
Here is one article describing the method it will work. Not all definitions are completely clear yet as I don't think Apple knows either.
 
Home Kit is a good thing to get newbies started with HA basics and when they want to get serious they have devices ready for upgrading to  HA systems. Time will tell if their name can carry them on this one. Looks promising so far. Lots of hype and not much information from Apple.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/8/7510647/first-homekit-devices-confirm-apple-tvs-role-in-home-automation

 

[pvrfan]

Controlling accessories is not Home Automation but rather just remote control. Don't confuse the two.
 
Homekit is a just framework to let developers write further applications for  Apple distribution.
 
Apple states that the Apple iCloud will be necessary for remote control and I doubt they will allow any direct control via VPN. That's not Apple's past practice.
 
Here is one article describing the method it will work. Not all definitions are completely clear yet as I don't think Apple knows either.
 
Home Kit is a good thing to get newbies started with HA basics and when they want to get serious they have devices ready for upgrading to  HA systems. Time will tell if their name can carry them on this one. Looks promising so far. Lots of hype and not much information from Apple.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/8/7510647/first-homekit-devices-confirm-apple-tvs-role-in-home-automation

 
I am not confused about "automation" v. "remote control".  From my earlier post:
 

Custom triggers, however, give Homekit true automation rather than just remote control via Siri.  In the session, they used the example of returning home from work automatically triggering the "I'm home" scene.  The trigger is activated based on 3 conditions:
 
Event:  front door unlocked
AND:   motion detected in front hall
AND:   time before 6:00 PM [1]
 
They described the API calls that programmers use to set up a custom trigger.  Note that in the simplest case, the "event" triggers an action; the conditions (like motion or time) are optional.  However, the list of conditions can also be arbitrarily long.  I believe the building blocks are there to do pretty much anything that current home automation systems offer.  Somebody "just" needs to put a nice interface on it.  There are conflicting reports on whether Apple is going to supply a "Home" app or leave it to third parties.  Apple has not said.
 
In the WWDC session, they used the Homekit Accessory Simulator[2] to demo the example above.  The presenter had configured the scene for arriving home ("Hi, house"), to include turning on several lights including setting Hue bulbs to specific colours.  "Bye, house" simply turned off those lights in his demo.  The event ("Characteristic condition") was selected to be the front door lock reporting "Unsecured".  The 'filter' conditions were then set up to be 'before 6:00 pm" and 'motion detected'.  When he simulated motion and unlocked the front door, sure enough, Homekit fired the "Hi, house" scene (since it was then before 6:00 pm).  The interface was clean and easy to follow even though this is just a demo app.

 
If custom triggers aren't "automation" in your books, I'd like to know what is.
 
Next, I don't think you understand VPN technology.  Tunnelling back to your home network makes your phone (say) appear to be local.  Why would Apple take extreme measures to detect that and prevent it?  They gain nothing by giving you access through iCloud.  It is a convenience they provide.  If you insist on circumventing it, it is no skin off their nose.
 
 
 
Finally, most people believe that iCloud's role with the Apple TV will be like the "Back to My Mac" service[1].  IOW, another name for dynamic DNS.  The service makes it easy to initiate the connection and then is uninvolved in the session afterwards.  I haven't seen any reports from people actually using this feature yet.  It is supposed to be active so I don't think we'll have to wait long.
 
[1] https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204618
 
Craig

 

[LarrylLix]

Your earlier posts are what I was basing my comment on.
 
Again. Remote control is not automation. The Insteon Hub 2 is a revised Hub with the Apple encryption added to it. It only has time based events and no logic. Not HA. The HA logic is being done by their iCloud service as far as anybody can tell so far. My son owns an Insteon Hub and could control it remotely,  a few years back, when it came out. No HA in it. Somebody has to provide the "smarts" and it isn't in the Hub.
 
 Once  more than two supported devices arrive on the scene, people will actually buy this concept and will report in. Then the methods and limitations will be clearer. Right now it's all just a concept  with a bite out of it.

 

[pvrfan]

Your earlier posts are what I was basing my comment on.
 
Again. Remote control is not automation. The Insteon Hub 2 is a revised Hub with the Apple encryption added to it. It only has time based events and no logic. Not HA. The HA logic is being done by their iCloud service as far as anybody can tell so far. My son owns an Insteon Hub and could control it remotely,  a few years back, when it came out. No HA in it. Somebody has to provide the "smarts" and it isn't in the Hub.
 
 Once  more than two supported devices arrive on the scene, people will actually buy this concept and will report in. Then the methods and limitations will be clearer. Right now it's all just a concept  with a bite out of it.

Again, what are custom triggers if not "automation"?  
 
The Insteon Hub is irrelevant.  To Homekit, it is just something that translates from Homekit Automation Protocol (HAP) to Insteon protocol.  Homekit ignores any other features in that box.  
 
Craig