K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
On our most recent IoT Podcast, Sean called in to the voicemail hotline with a HomeKit question. He appreciates the ability to add HomeKit devices to his smart home directly through Apple’s Home app. He wants to know if the device maker’s applications are required to upgrade the firmware on those devices.
Unfortunately, the answer is yes. At least as of today.
It’s true that you don’t need to install any new apps to add a HomeKit device to your home. The provisioning functionality is essentially built in to the Apple Home app in iOS. And the Home app will tell you when there’s a firmware update for any of your connected devices.
That’s where the HomeKit worlds end, however. If one of your devices needs a firmware update, you have to have the device manufacturer’s mobile application for that device installed. And it’s from that application where you initiate the update.
I’ve seen this from my own HomeKit devices. Apple’s Home app told me that there was an Eve update available. I had to go into the Eve app to actually update the device.
So I still have most, if not all, of the third-party mobile software on my iPhone, mainly for this reason. However, I do have them hidden away so they’re not on my phone’s home screen. They’re available when I need them and out of sight when I don’t.
Continue reading and listen in: https://staceyoniot.com/do-you-need-third-party-apps-to-update-homekit-device-firmware/
Unfortunately, the answer is yes. At least as of today.
It’s true that you don’t need to install any new apps to add a HomeKit device to your home. The provisioning functionality is essentially built in to the Apple Home app in iOS. And the Home app will tell you when there’s a firmware update for any of your connected devices.
That’s where the HomeKit worlds end, however. If one of your devices needs a firmware update, you have to have the device manufacturer’s mobile application for that device installed. And it’s from that application where you initiate the update.
I’ve seen this from my own HomeKit devices. Apple’s Home app told me that there was an Eve update available. I had to go into the Eve app to actually update the device.
So I still have most, if not all, of the third-party mobile software on my iPhone, mainly for this reason. However, I do have them hidden away so they’re not on my phone’s home screen. They’re available when I need them and out of sight when I don’t.
Continue reading and listen in: https://staceyoniot.com/do-you-need-third-party-apps-to-update-homekit-device-firmware/
