It’s been over a year since Apple first announced that it would let device manufacturers add support for its HomeKit smart home standard with just software authentication (instead of requiring an Apple-approved physical chip), and now the Wemo Mini smart plug is the first device to implement the standard with a firmware update that’s already beginning to roll out today.
The Wemo Mini is the first device to get software support for Apple’s HomeKit
HomeKit comes to Wemo, no hub or Homekit authentication chip required
HomeKit comes to Wemo, no hub or Homekit authentication chip required
Hopefully the first of many
Once the update hits, Wemo Mini owners will be able to use the smart outlets directly with HomeKit, without having to pay extra for the $40 Wemo Bridge hub that was previously required to use the devices with Apple’s smart home standard. That said, you’ll still need the hub if you have other Wemo devices you’d like to use — although Wemo says that it is looking to add HomeKit support to other Wemo products later this year.
Hopefully, now that the ball has finally started rolling, it won’t be long before other manufacturers start to add HomeKit software updates to their devices, too.
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