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I got a Nest as a housewarming gift and was excited to set it up and play with it. I set it up in SmartThings, HomeBridge, IFTTT, and Alexa. That was about 2 we

I got a Nest as a housewarming gift and was excited to set it up and play with it. I set it up in SmartThings, HomeBridge, IFTTT, and Alexa. That was about 2 weeks ago, now I'm considering returning it and going to with some zigbee/z-wave alternative. This is 100% why I refuse to buy WiFi "Smart" devices. They are always a step away from being shutdown and no longer supported. Tuya devices are sometimes acceptable but normally only if someone has already cracked how to talk to them. My new Eufy RoboVac is in that category for me. I'm going to have to write the majority of the HomeBridge support for it but I know it's possible (and I LOVE Anker products).

mikestew 8y ago
This is 100% why I refuse to buy WiFi "Smart" devices. They are always a step away from being shutdown and no longer supported. It is my understanding that HomeKit devices have to allow direct communication to HomeKit, meaning that $CHEAP_ASS_IOT servers can be taken down, but it will still work with HomeKit. (I did make an attempt to find a link to support this, but a few minutes didn't yield anything for/against.)
- dusing 8y ago
  You'd still be relying on Apple for your UI. Which isn't bad but could be limiting. Better to go with a Raspberry Pi and home assistant, and add home kit as an option. Hell also add alexa and google while you are at it. You wouldn't be tied to anything.
  - mikestew 8y ago
    Better to go with a Raspberry Pi and home assistant, and add home kit as an option. Which I do have, but Home Assistant often relies on APIs that HomeKit doesn't. For instance, EcoBee thermostat: HA needs your creds to go through the EcoBee API that could be turned off in the future. HomeKit doesn't care, it talks directly to the thermostat. Now, get Home Assistant to speak HomeKitese and we have the best of both. In summary, I'm much less concerned about Apple turning off HomeKit than I am about EcoBee getting bought, or otherwise deciding they don't want to support an API anymore.

mikestew 8y ago

This is 100% why I refuse to buy WiFi "Smart" devices. They are always a step away from being shutdown and no longer supported. It is my understanding that HomeKit devices have to allow direct communication to HomeKit, meaning that $CHEAP_ASS_IOT servers can be taken down, but it will still work with HomeKit. (I did make an attempt to find a link to support this, but a few minutes didn't yield anything for/against.)

dusing 8y ago
You'd still be relying on Apple for your UI. Which isn't bad but could be limiting. Better to go with a Raspberry Pi and home assistant, and add home kit as an option. Hell also add alexa and google while you are at it. You wouldn't be tied to anything.
- mikestew 8y ago
  Better to go with a Raspberry Pi and home assistant, and add home kit as an option. Which I do have, but Home Assistant often relies on APIs that HomeKit doesn't. For instance, EcoBee thermostat: HA needs your creds to go through the EcoBee API that could be turned off in the future. HomeKit doesn't care, it talks directly to the thermostat. Now, get Home Assistant to speak HomeKitese and we have the best of both. In summary, I'm much less concerned about Apple turning off HomeKit than I am about EcoBee getting bought, or otherwise deciding they don't want to support an API anymore.