Xiaomi, a Chinese manufacturer of phones, is working on HomeKit support for various devices. With the Aquara products you will soon be able to control sensors, curtains and cameras via Siri and HomeKit.
Xiaomi is working on HomeKit support
If you’re an Apple user, there’s little chance you already have some Xiaomi products in your home. That might change soon, because the Chinese manufacturer presented a number of new products this week, including a lamp, a smart door lock and a fingerprint scanner. Most interesting for Apple users is the planned support of HomeKit. The products will probably be in store before the end of the year. Xiaomi makes Android phones, fitness bracelets and some other products that stand out because they are so cheap. While you soon pay more than a hundred euros for a Fitbit, at Xiaomi you will find something very similar for a few tens.
Products from Aqara
The HomeKit support includes a number of products from the Aqara brand, which is part of Xiaomi ecosystem. The company manufactures, among other things, various sensors, but also security cameras and motors for curtain rails. It is also not yet clear whether a separate bridge will be needed to let the devices work with HomeKit and whether the company will use hardware or software authentication. The latter is possible since iOS 11.3 and makes it easier for manufacturers to make their products HomeKit-enabled.
HomeKit is becoming standard
With the promised Homekit support, Xiaomi also wants to expand to other countries. In China, Xiaomi is best known for the phones and computers they make. HomeKit is gaining popularity when it comes to smart devices. This is partly because of the large number of iPhones and iPads in circulation, but also because Apple is making it increasingly easy for developers to make their products suitable for HomeKit. As a result, the number of suitable HomeKit products is increasing.
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