The IT Nerd

Wemo today announced a software update that enables Apple HomeKit compatibility with the Wemo WiFi Smart Dimmer. The Wemo Dimmer is an elegant wall switch that embeds smart lighting technology with dimming functionality to be controlled using the Home app or Wemo app on iPhone and iPad. Wemo users can add Wemo Dimmer to the Apple Home app and ask Siri to control lighting throughout the home with HomePod or even automatically based on rules and intelligence. Now both Wemo Mini Smart Plugs and Wemo WiFi Smart Dimmers can be included into scenes and rooms to work with more than one hundred other HomeKit compatible products.

Using Wemo with Apple Home app and Siri, consumers can:

• Voice control Wemo with Siri from your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, HomePod, Apple TV, and Mac.
• Add Wemo to rooms in the Apple Home app and control multiple HomeKit compatible products at once.
• Automate Wemo with scenes in the Apple Home app.
• Use Scenes to turn Wemo Dimmer on/off or adjust light levels based on your location, time of day, or a command to Siri like “Movie Time”.
• Remotely check if someone left the Wemo Dimmer lights on, and then adjust light levels, from your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac.

The update to enable HomeKit on the Wemo Dimmer will begin rolling out today.  A new Wemo app, available for free via the Apple App Store, will facilitate a firmware update for Wemo Dimmers.

Wemo, the smart home brand from Belkin International, today announced it plans to enable Apple HomeKit compatibility to more than two million Wemo solutions on the market.  With the HomeKit enabled Wemo Bridge, Wemo users will be able to ask Siri on their iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch – “Siri, turn on Wemo” or “Siri, dim the living room lights,” or use the Apple Home app on any of these devices.   Users will also be able to include Wemo products into scenes and rooms to work with more than one hundred other HomeKit compatible products and access them while on the go.

The Wemo Bridge connects to any home Wi-Fi router via an Ethernet cable to enable HomeKit integration into Wemo smart plugs and light switches in the home.  The bridge then leverages the Wi-Fi of the home router to send the HomeKit capabilities from Siri enabled devices such as Apple iPhones, iPads and Apple watches to Wemo smart plugs and light switches.

Availability and Pricing
The Wemo Bridge for HomeKit is planned for availability later this fall.  Pricing will announced at time ofavailability.

WeMo today announced a new line of sensors at CES which are designed to make the entire home smarter, more intuitive and more contextually aware.

WeMo Door and Window Sensor (F7C038)

A magnetic contact sensor that detects an open or closed state on any window or door in the home, the WeMo Door and Window Sensor allows users to check for unexpected entry into the home while away or even in a different room. The WeMo Window and Door Sensor works with any type of door or window within the home including standard interior/exterior doors, sliding doors, refrigerator doors, even safes and jewelry boxes. Easily check in to see if windows or doors were left open by mistake or receive a notification if someone has gained unexpected entry to the home. The sensors work with other WeMo devices and can be programmed to automate a variety of tasks including heating or cooling. For example, pair with a WeMo Insight Switch and a window A/C unit to automate the air conditioning to only turn on when the window is closed, helping to save money and energy.

WeMo Keychain Sensor (F7C039)

The WeMo Keychain Sensor is a small fob designed to be placed on a keychain, collar or in a bag that alerts users when the fob’s carrier is at home or away. The WeMo Keychain Sensor helps users keep track of family members’ whereabouts and ensure they make it home safely. The sensor automatically sends an alert when the fob’s wearer no longer is connected to the network, letting them know that someone has come or gone. The WeMo Keychain Sensor is great for working parents so they know when their kids have arrived home from school or for pet owners to know if their animals have strayed too far from home. With the WeMo app, users can set up a series of customized alerts for each sensor, automate other WeMo devices based in the sensor, and even configure a small button on the Keychain Sensor to control any WeMo device simply when pressed.

WeMo Alarm Sensor (F7C040)

The WeMo Alarm sensor enhances current alarm systems with monitoring capabilities and is an ideal solution for retrofitting offline alarm systems for use with smart devices. The small sensor sits next to existing home alarms and notifies users if they are activated via a mobile alert. Designed to distinguish between the sound of an alarm and other ambient noises in your house, the sensor uses a proprietary algorithm to accurately identify your alarms, reducing the possibility of a false notification. Through the WeMo app, users can set up a list of emergency contact options, making it easy to react immediately to fires, break-ins, gas or carbon monoxide leaks even when away.

WeMo Room Motion Sensor (F7C041)

The WeMo Room Motion Sensor is an infrared sensor that detects heat signatures for precise, room motion detection, even in large rooms and hallways. Immune to pets, the WeMo Room Motion Sensor reduces the possibility of false alarms and offers a broad 30-foot range and 90-degree field of view. Designed for indoor applications, the sensor can be used to safeguard a private room, ensure home security while away or automate other electronic devices via motion. Through the WeMo app, users can check the last detected movement within the room, set mobile motion alerts and notifications, and configure uses with other devices in the WeMo Ecosystem. For example, use in combination with a WeMo Light Switch to turn automatically turn on lights in the hallway so children can have an easier time getting to the bathroom at night.

WeMo Water with Echo Technology

WeMo Water sensors with Echo Technology turn a home, building or office’s existing infrastructure into sensors that can relay information about whole home water consumption. WeMo Water uses a small sensor placed on one water pipe to sense pressure changes that occur throughout the plumbing system and then uses advanced machine learning-based algorithms to analyze vibrations. WeMo Water can identify usage time, duration and cost of any end-unit on the system (showers, bathtubs, sinks, toilets, etc.), accurately calculate water consumption per object, and even alert users to potentially devastating damage and leaks.

Currently undergoing field trials, WeMo will be showcasing WeMo Water’s consumer applications at the 2015 International CES.

WeMo’s new home sensors allow users to monitor their entire home from anywhere using a mobile device and the WeMo Link, a Wi-Fi-to-Zigbee bridge that connects the sensors to the home’s wireless network. Subscription-free and a snap to install and use, the four new WeMo sensors provide peace of mind within the home and can alert users when things are amiss. Through the WeMo app, users can set schedules and receive alerts and notifications, as well as program the sensors as triggers to activate other WeMo devices. With a one-year battery life, WeMo Sensors provide long lasting home security, management and monitoring.

The WeMo Sensors will be available in the second half of 2015; pricing is undetermined at this time. WeMo Water is currently in field trials and availability dates are unavailable at this time.