Philips Adds Motion Sensor to its Smart Home Lineup

Philips is adding a motion sensor to its Hue smart bulb product line that’ll turn on your lights when you walk into a room. The Hue Motion Sensor runs on two AAA batteries so you can place it anywhere that works for you, can pair with specific light control scenes for day and night, has adjustable sensitivity, and is smart enough to leave the lights off when it’s still light out. The Hue Motion Sensor will be available in October for US$39.95.

Work from Home Kit with Telescopic Phone Stand, Smart Lens, Light Set: $99.99

We have a deal on the Work from Home Kit, which includes a telescopic phone stand, the Smart Lens, and a light set. The wide-angle lens clicks onto your phone or laptop, providing a 160º angle to capture more than your face. The smart light gives you studio-quality lighting to look great and keep your colleagues focused on what you have to say. The Work from Home Kit is $99.99 through our deal.

'Carkey' API May Control Homekit Smart Lock

A ‘Carkey’ API appeared in the first beta version of iOS 13.4. However, a new patent application, reported on by AppleInsider, indicated the technology could have other uses, like a Homekit connected smart lock.

The first beta of iOS 13.4 revealed traces of a “CarKey” API, one which would effectively turn the iPhone into an electronic key for a vehicle, similar to current keyless unlocking and starting systems employed today. By bringing the iPhone close to an NFC point, it could feasibly allow a car to start and to be driven, while also offering the option of sharing a version of the key to others with certain permissions disabled, such as enabling a car to be unlocked but not driven. In a patent application titled “System access using a mobile device” published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday, Apple seems to be planning a much wider use of the concept than in just vehicles. The abstract for the filing mentions it would be used to authenticate a mobile device for access to system functionality, including “physical access to a system, starting an engine.”

Sony Updates Smart TV Software With Bring AirPlay and HomeKit 2 Support

Sony has updated the software on some 2018 and 2019 smart TVs, MacRumors reported. The update brings AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to these devices.

Earlier this year, Sony announced that ‌AirPlay‌ 2 and ‌HomeKit‌ support would come to some of its mid-range and high-end smart TVs by way of a software update. This Android 9 Pie update makes good on that promise, and also includes Dolby Atmos support. The update is available for the 2018 A9F and Z9F models as well as the 2019 A9G, Z9G, X950G, and X850G (55, 65, 75, 85-inch). TV tech site FlatpanelsHD notes that the 2018 A9F and Z9F models weren’t listed as compatible models in Sony’s original announcement, but they’ve since been included.