Apple’s Home app and HomeKit devices are getting these 8 new features next week

With new iPhones come new options. And beginning subsequent week, Apple HomeKit customers will get lots courtesy of iOS 15, HomePod 15, tvOS 15, and watchOS 8 software program updates. Apple has confirmed that these will all be accessible on the identical day, September twentieth.

So, in case you’ve been enthusiastic about limitless HomeKit Safe Video cameras, the HomePod Mini as a speaker on your Apple TV 4K, or the possibility to see your doorbell in your Apple Watch, you’re in luck.

Right here’s a take a look at all the brand new HomeKit and HomeKit-related options that shall be dropping on Monday.

Picture by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Management your Apple TV with Siri on HomePod

Lastly, you’ll be capable to use Siri in your HomePod to show your Apple TV on and off, begin a particular present or film, or have it pause or resume playback for you. This has been a characteristic of Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant’s good audio system for some time now (when paired with a Hearth TV gadget or Chromecast), and we’re happy to see Apple bringing Siri audio system as much as par.

Set your HomePod Mini as your Apple TV speaker

A single or pair of HomePod Minis can now be your Apple TV 4K’s default speaker. This characteristic was beforehand solely accessible to the unique (now discontinued) HomePod, however now it’s accessible for Apple’s extra diminutive (and never discontinued) good speaker.

Picture by Chris Welch / The Verge

Have your HomeKit cameras spot packages

Safety cameras related to Apple’s HomeKit Safe Video (Apple’s possibility for storing footage out of your good residence cameras) via an Apple TV 4K or HomePod Mini can now inform you once they see a package deal. That is along with folks, animal, and car detection and can enhance the usefulness of the 2 HKSV appropriate residential doorbells at present available on the market — the Logitech View and the Netatmo Sensible Video Doorbell.

See a number of HomeKit cameras in your Apple TV

The Apple TV can now stream a number of feeds out of your HomeKit cameras as a substitute of just one, so you may survey your area from the massive display screen. It’ll additionally provide up management of close by equipment (resembling a entrance door lock or porch gentle), so you may activate the lights and unlock the door utilizing the distant – no have to get your telephone out.

Add limitless HomeKit Safe Video cameras

Talking of a number of cameras, with the iOS15 replace in your iPhone and iPad now you can add a limiteless variety of cameras to HomeKit Safe Video in case you join the brand new iCloud Plus 2TB plan ($9.99 a month). Beforehand, 5 was the utmost quantity allowed, which is a bit limiting if you wish to cowl a complete residence in and out with cameras.

Picture by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Discuss to Siri in additional locations

The voice assistant is coming to different speaker-enabled HomeKit equipment. The Ecobee SmartThermostat is the one confirmed accent thus far — and the operate received’t go reside for just a few extra weeks, in keeping with Ecobee. Nevertheless it’s possible extra gadgets will observe quickly, enabling you to ask Siri to regulate good residence gadgets, set timers and alarms, and use the intercom characteristic in additional rooms in your house. You’ll nonetheless have to have a HomePod Mini on the identical community for the gadget to relay the requests.

Inform Siri to do one thing later

Siri is getting smarter about residence management, including the flexibility so that you can ask the voice assistant to do one thing later or based mostly on an occasion. Which means you’ll be capable to use instructions resembling “Hey Siri, turn off the lights when I leave home,” or “Hey Siri, turn off the TV at 6 p.m.”

Picture: Apple

Management your property in your wrist

With WatchOS 8, the Apple Residence app will get a much-needed redesign. Now you may entry particular person equipment in addition to HomeKit Scenes, and the watch will use context to find out which gadgets and Scenes to supply up for management. It’s also possible to see HomeKit-enabled digital camera feeds in your wrist and use Intercom to shortly broadcast a message to the entire residence, particular person rooms, or private gadgets.

To replace your HomePod and HomePod Mini’s software program, go to the Residence Settings within the Apple Residence app (you may activate automated updates right here). For Apple TV 4K, look within the settings menu in your gadget and for the Apple Watch, use the Watch app in your iPhone or the settings app on the watch itself.

Replace, 6:47PM ET, September seventeenth, 2021: Clarified that the article is referring to Siri on a HomePod to regulate the Apple TV.