Apple Shortcuts vs. full Apple HomeKit integration to Loxone/KNX

There are several ways to bring Apple HomeKit’s ecosystem into your smart home and get access to geofencing automations, Apple Watch control, friendly visualisation app with its own automation dashboard, voice control and more!

However, not all ways invite Apple HomeKit fully into your home, some just say hi at the door and that’s it.

Metaphors aside, the product needs to be Apple HomeKit certified in order to get integrated into the Apple HomeKit ecosystem. You can only get full access to the Apple Siri voice assistant and Apple Home app mobile app if you’re using a certified device to connect.

There’s two ways of linking Apple HomeKit with your home.

  1. Via the Apple’s Shortcuts app
  2. Full Apple HomeKit Integration

1. Via the Apple’s Shortcuts app

What’s a Shortcut?

Shortcuts are actions that can be triggered from iPhone/iPad home screen, Siri assistant, Apple Watch, Homepod. You can also embed them in other shortcuts and create whole workflows like: open the Garage door when you arrive at home, or enable security features of Loxone or KNX home when you leave your home.

Requirements: iPhone/iPad running iOS 13 or higher, Apple Watch running watchOS 7

Here’s an example of shortcuts combined into an automation that gets triggered at sunrise and starts Loxone Wake Up mode on lights and plays music on the phone.

Options to get Apple Shortcuts to Loxone or KNX:

  • Homebridge
  • Loxone’s latest iOS app (11.2.2 and up)

Shortcuts, while they surely bring some benefits to Apple KNX or Apple Loxone users, aren’t comparable with a full Apple HomeKit experience brought to you either with an Apple certified device or open-source “hacks”.

2. Full Apple HomeKit Integration

The full integration brings your Loxone or KNX smart devices to Apple Home app, lets you automate them and control them either with your voice or by tapping devices and groups in the app itself. You can also include Shortcuts to control your KNX/Loxone devices as well as execute actions from your other apps (playing music, fitness apps, to-do lists or routing apps, taking notes, playlists).

Apple’s Home app brings wider automation choices for device triggers, access to all voice commands, allows automating several devices and basically plays a role of a group of shortcuts that get triggered when certain conditions are met.

Here’s how to set up geofencing automations with full Apple HomeKit integration to  Loxone and KNX system:

Benefits of the full Apple HomeKit integration into Loxone or KNX:

Get full Apple HomeKit integration to Loxone or KNX:

  • With 1Home via 1Home Box or 1Home Bridge device.
  • Via open-source solutions such as: Loxberry, HomeBridge, Home Assistant, OpenHAB, Node-RED, …
  • Via other commercial solutions such as Easykon, Thinka, Pairot, ...

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