A smart home is only as smart as the apps that control it. While the proprietary apps are pretty good, there is a burgeoning third-party market to complement those produced by manufacturers. Here are what I think are the top 10 iOS apps for your smart home from both manufacturers and independent developers.
Home
Apple’s own HomeKit app releases alongside iOS10 and looks to be an awesome addition to the smart home hub. It allows full control over scenes, devices, triggers and accessories including non-Apple but HomeKit compatible devices. The Home app should be compatible with all devices that support iOS 10 and watchOS 2.
Home will be out soon on iTunes.
Gideon Smart Home App
The Gideon Smart Home App acts as a middleman between devices. It apparently works with most smart devices from most manufacturers and across some protocols. That means you can mix and match devices across the range without having to worry about different devices talking to each other, although it is still a good idea to stick to devices that speak the same language.
The Gideon Smart Home App is available here through iTunes.
Philips Hue
The Philips Hue app is the natural companion to Hue smart lights and allows you to control every aspect of them from your iOS device. Set the color and luminance, set a schedule, connect them with a motion sensor and more. The Hue bridge also plays nicely with many smart home hubs for multilevel automation.
The Philips Hue app is available here through iTunes.
IF
IF is the app for IFTTT and offers huge scope for home automation. Using IFTTT recipes, you can combine smart device actions to create an overall effect such as turning on lights, coffee maker and heating all at once. There are hundreds of recipes (IFTTT term for control schemes) to choose from. The app integrates IFTTT into every aspect of your life, not just your smart home so is literally hours of fun.
The IF app is available here through iTunes.
WeTap
WeTap is the app for controlling Belkin’s WeMo smart home hub. You can perform a number of functions from the app including configuration, control, creating schemes, controlling individual or grouped devices and more. WeTap also works with the Apple Watch.
The WeTap app is available here through iTunes.
Lutron Caseta Wireless
If you use Lutron smart lights, this is the app you need to control them. It you use other Lutrom products such as smart blinds, you can control those and create scenes to coordinate them all. It works with the Apple Watch too.
Lutron Caseta Wireless is available here through iTunes.
SmartThings
SmartThings is of course the app you use to control the SmartThings hub. It is an essential iOS app for your smart home because it not only controls SmartThings, but also other smart devices too. Fill your home with compatible gadgets and you will be able to create scenes and control every element from this single app.
SmartThings is available here through iTunes.
Withings Home
Withings Home helps manage security cameras and can apparently provide two-way audio, change viewing angles and switch to night vision. The highlight is the ability to watch video feed from your home in real time.
Withings Home is available here through iTunes.
Insteon
The Insteon app allows you to control any smart device that uses the Insteon protocol. That can include every aspect of the smart home including thermostat, lights, security cameras, smart locks and more. You can even view a feed from your IP cameras in real time.
Insteon is available here through iTunes.
Do Button
Do Button is another IFTTT app. It uses recipes, works with multiple smart home hubs and devices and can control everything from your Nest to your security cameras and smart sprinklers. A real-life do it all app.
Do Button is available here through iTunes.
Looking for other Smart Home Articles? You might interested in my Top 10 Smart Home IFTT Recipes and my Top 10 Smart Home Android apps.
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