Summary

Summary:

  1. HomeKit Network Technology Pros and Cons:

    • Wi-Fi

      • has a very large range

      • requires considerably more power than Bluetooth or Thread

      • generally speaking, Wi-Fi is more expensive to manufacture

      • relatively speaking, Wi-Fi has high latency --in other words sending an "on" command to a device and seeing that device turn on would always be slower over Wi-Fi than a protocol designed for low latency, like Thread

      • Wi-Fi networks are highly susceptible to interference

      • Wi-Fi networks are harder to create and mange

      • not designed to keep hundreds of devices connected

    • Bluetooth

      • requires much less power than Wi-Fi

      • has a much more limited range

      • not designed for more than a handful of devices at once

      • can have a relatively high latency because most Bluetooth devices are in "low power" mode and have to wake up to respond; also, in a typical HomeKit network Bluetooth commands are routed through a hub

    • Thread

      • require much less power than Wi-Fi

      • devices create a mesh network with themselves, thus extending its range, which is a major advantage over Bluetooth.

      • additionally, the mesh network is configured automatically and can automatically adjust to devices being added and removed.

      • Thread devices also have a lower latency when compared to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (low latency means that they respond very quickly to commands)

      • designed to handle hundreds of devices

  2. HomeKit Hubs

    • HomePods, HomePod minis, and AppleTVs can all act as hubs and can all extend Bluetooth, within their Bluetooth range.

    • HomePod minis and AppleTV 4Ks are also Thread Border Routers, and integrate your Thread network with your home network and also help create and extend a Thread network's range.

  3. HomeKit Bridges

    • Bridges will continue to exist, both as HomeKit Bridges and Matter Bridges to connect legacy and proprietary devices to our chosen platforms

  4. Thread vs Matter

    • Thread is a wireless network transport, similar to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

    • Matter is an application framework, like HomeKit.

    • HomeKit can run on Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Thread networks.

    • Matter can run on Thread and Wi-Fi (but not Bluetooth—Matter can use Bluetooth for provisioning only)

    • HomeKit APIs work with Matter and can control Matter devices.