Apple Home Introduces Support for Robot Vacuums in iOS 18
Apple has made an exciting announcement regarding its smart home platform at WWDC 2024. The tech giant revealed that Apple Home will now support robot vacuums with the upcoming iOS 18 update. This development is part of a series of updates aimed at enhancing the functionality of Apple’s smart home ecosystem.
In addition to robot vacuum support, Apple Home users can look forward to hands-free unlocking for compatible smart door locks. This feature, known as Home Key, will allow users to unlock their doors automatically when they are in close proximity, provided they have their iPhone or Apple Watch with them for authentication.
Moreover, Apple Home will now allow users to share guest codes for access to their homes, a feature that has been highly anticipated by many. This update also includes a new electricity usage feature that will enable users to monitor their energy consumption through a connection with their utility provider. While this feature will initially be available to Pacific Gas & Electric users in California, Apple aims to expand it to more utilities in the future.
The support for robot vacuums in Apple Home is made possible through Matter, a new smart home interoperability standard that enables seamless communication between devices. With Matter integration, Apple Home users can control various aspects of their robot vacuums directly through the Home app, including power control, cleaning modes, and charge status.
While the current support for robot vacuums is a significant step forward, there are still some limitations to consider. For instance, advanced features such as room mapping and keep-out zones are not yet supported by Matter. As a result, users may need to rely on third-party apps for accessing these additional functionalities.
Overall, the addition of robot vacuum support to Apple Home marks a positive advancement in the company’s efforts to enhance its smart home ecosystem. With the promise of more updates and improvements on the horizon, Apple Home users can look forward to a more seamless and integrated smart home experience in the future.