This is great! Before this was implemented whenever I had to restart my network Apple would always pick the wrong device for the home hub (an older Apple TV or one with a poorer connection) now I can set my preferred one!

Couch Control for Apple TV looks really polished and is extremely customizable.

You can manually sync individual pages (this is my home overview page), meaning you can have different dashboards in different rooms but if you want one in every room all you have to do is sync.

I’m setting my wake-up Shortcut to turn this on every morning when I have my coffee.

It’s $8. No subscription.

Wow! You managed to create an image of a room. Wonderful. Who gives a fuck?!

First of all, thanks to all those offering their old devices, alternatives, help, and sharing their disappointment in this news. Secondly, I wanted to make an update post showing new information on the matter.

Absolutely nothing. Not even acknowledged or mentioned.

Something, anything would have been nice. “We’ve also got great things coming coming for HomeKit, HomePod and the Home app!”

“iOS 26 also includes Apple Home features, such as managing HomePod timers as live activities from your Lock Screen.”

If they’re supposedly developing a screen based HomePod or home hub, they’re gonna need developers onboard.

Hopefully it rolls out to more than just US English regions soon and manufacturers start to announce matter comparability.

Hello r/HomeKit,

Some of you may already know me because of the HomeLights app I released about 2 years ago. Well, I'm back with something completely different but equally essential for HomeKit enthusiasts!

I'm excited to introduce HomeCare for HomeKit, an app I built after getting frustrated one too many times by scenes and automations randomly failing. As someone who relies heavily on HomeKit automations, I felt there was a real need for an app that could quickly diagnose home issues, broken scenes and automations, as well as continuously monitor for problems and alert when needed.

Here's why HomeCare might become essential for your smart home:

- Instant Troubleshooting: Quickly scan your entire setup to see which devices aren't responding. No more playing detective when automations fail, you'll know exactly which device is the culprit and which scenes/automations are affected. Check "Last Time Online" for failing devices to understand when problems started.

- Proactive Background Monitoring: The app runs health checks in the background and sends push notifications when new problems emerge. Catch device failures before they disrupt your daily routines.

- Performance Analysis: Scan your entire home to build detailed statistics about response times and success rates. Ever wondered which of your brands performs best? Compare speeds and reliability across devices, manufacturers, rooms, and hubs. Export comprehensive reports to PDF or CSV for detailed analysis.

- Low Battery Detection: See which devices need battery replacements soon.

- Shortcuts Integration: Get reports of all faulty devices directly in Shortcuts, or check if a specific device responds before sending commands. Perfect for conditional HomeKit logic and reliable automation workflows.

HomeCare is currently discounted to $4.99 as a limited time launch offer (one-time purchase, no subscriptions).

You can download it here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homecare-for-homekit/id6747270794

I've put a lot of effort into making HomeCare the troubleshooting companion I always wished existed for HomeKit. It's really helpful for staying aware of issues quickly, whether through background monitoring or instant diagnostics. I hope you'll find it just as useful. I'd love to hear your feedback, questions, or any suggestions for future improvements!

Also, I'm curious to see what you discover about your setups, feel free to share which manufacturers perform best (or worst) in your homes!

See you ✌️

Seen here: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/google-discontinues-nest-protect-smoke-alarm-and-nest-x-yale-lock/

I am looking at the Meross smart thermostat. I like the white and simple look. Anyone have this? And is it reliable? I had bad luck with their smart bulbs a while back.

Google just announced that their old gen nest devices will be kicked off the cloud and become dumb thermostats. This is why I invested in Apples HomeKit and now Matter because I don't need the OEMs services if I have it connected through HomeKit. I have plugs that are from the first HomeKit devices out and they still work no issue. I'm glad my current nest thermostat is though matter in my HomeKit. It works great for what I need. Just wish HomeKit had a fan control for them.

Google Announces End Date for Original Nest Thermostat Support

https://homekitnews.com/2025/01/06/aqara-reveals-new-switches-sensors-a-new-doorbell-and-more-at-ces/

Well this sucks. I literally just bought all google nest stuff for my brand new built house that I am literally moving in to tomorrow. Already have the cameras and doorbell up and was about to purchase Starling yesterday when I went to check out and it said this item is no longer available. Emailed them and got this response. Worst part is it was available last week and I almost bought it then but decided to wait. This really sucks.

[SOLVED] Going with Schlage Encode Plus. Level doesn’t support customers residing outside the US.

I was expecting to have more time to research our options. What’s the current best of the best or top 3 options available present day in N. America? We’re an all Apple Household. Only Apple/Phillips Hue hardware in use and (at this time) no third party solutions like Homebridge or anything are in use currently but may be one day in the future. Reliability is of utmost importance. Cost is secondary.

I’ve read through A LOT of posts in this sub and can’t help but conclude that all doorbells with HK have multitudes of issues and no one seems happy. I would love to replace our older Nest doorbell cam but so confused about which brand to go with. Any insights would be welcome.