New Insteon Hub Makes 200+ Products HomeKit Compatible
With a new hub and app, Insteon finally leaves the 2000s.
Credit:
Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.
Insteon was the smart home darling of the 2000s, but as of late, it has seemed to play second fiddle to startups like SmartThings and Wink. However, this week at CES 2015, the company has made some big moves to bring itself back into relevance.
To start off, the company announced the new Insteon Hub Pro and Insteon app for iPhone. According to the company, the hub will connect Insteon "switches, outlets, thermostats, and light bulbs" to HomeKit. And with the new app, consumers can control both Insteon and HomeKit products from one interface.
Yet, the company did not just team up with Apple, it also joined the Works with Nest Program, integrating the Nest Learning Thermostat into the Insteon system. Unfortunately, the Nest Protect has yet to be integrated.
Lastly, the company released a public API, allowing developers to create apps that connect to your Insteon system.
Overall, these three moves are game changers for Insteon. The system's proprietary wireless protocol will now no longer be a hurdle to integrating non-Insteon products. And with over 200+ devices, Nest and HomeKit adopters just received access to a whole slew of new products they can add to their homes.