Linksys Velop Tri-Band Routers Now Support HomeKit

Linksys Velop Tri-Band Routers now support Apple’s HomeKit through a free update available in the Linksys app.

Through ‌HomeKit‌, Velop users can choose to firewall off ‌HomeKit‌ accessories to prevent them from communicating with other WiFi devices on a home network and untrusted internet services to prevent hacking attempts and provide better security for connected home devices.

HomeKit-compatible Velop Tri-band model numbers that work with ‌‌HomeKit‌‌ include A03, WHW0301, WHW0301B, WHW0302, WHW0302B, WHW0303, and WHW0303B.

Good news for owners of these routers.

‘Eve’ 4.3 Update Gives You Faster Access to HomeKit Features

Eve 4.3 adds fast access, improved customization options, and improvements for new products like Eve Cam and Eve Window Guard. You can now long press in almost any area of the app to quickly control an accessory, set a scene, and view its details. Get an overview of a room to instantly toggle all lights and refine room settings. You can also touch, hold, and slide your finger to quickly select a command. Eve 4.3 adds a new way to view and manage automations directly in the accessory’s details view. Long press to toggle Rules and set Scenes, or create new rules and scenes. App Store: Free

Eve 4.2 Update Improves Support for HomeKit Cameras

Version 4.2 of Eve’s app brings automatic syncing of Eve settings across your iOS devices, improved support for HomeKit cameras, redesigned appearance controls for your Rooms, and more. The company is also preparing for the release of Eve Cam which will starting shipping May 2020.

Eve Cam exclusively taps into HomeKit technology to deliver state-of-the-art privacy by design, with no parallel data sharing, no account or registration, and no tracking or profiling. And even when you’re at home and have disabled all video features, you can still use Eve Cam as a full-blown motion sensor to control your other HomeKit-enabled accessories.

App Store: Eve for HomeKit – Free

Amazon's Eero Mesh Routers Now Support Apple HomeKit

Amazon’s eero mesh routers now support Apple’s HomeKit, AppleInsider reported. They are the first mesh routers to Apple’s smart home platform.

After appearing recently appearing imminent, Eero has finally made the update available to users of its eero, eero Pro, and eero Beacon models which add additional security for smart home devices. With HomeKit support, users are able to restrict communication for smart home devices to only communicate in the home, to the default connections recommended by the manufacturer, or no restriction whatsoever. With smart home devices controlling everything from our lights to our locks, knowing that they are prevented from sending data outside your abode can offer a great deal of peace of mind. The update is installed by heading to the “Discover” tab within the eero app.

'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.”