We won’t be waiting long for HomeKit-enabled garage door openers.
There’s one dumb-home device that’s been aching for smarts for far too long: your garage door!
I mean, think about it — many people enter their homes through the garage, making smart locks (typically installed on the front door of the home) less useful. Luckily, we’re going to be seeing some HomeKit-enabled garage door openers this year. That means garage door control via iOS’s Home app and Siri voice control.
I’m hoping as the year progresses more companies will announce their own openers or opener solutions.
Upcoming HomeKit-enabled garage door openers
1. MyQ HomeBridge
The MyQ HomeBridge is a retrofit device that will allow all current Chamberlain MyQ Garage Door Opener owners to upgrade their devices with HomeKit compatibility. Chamberlain says the HomeBridge will be available by April 2017.
If you’ve already got one of the company’s WiFi-connected garage door openers hooked up, your jump to HomeKit compatibility will be super simple. The company says the bridge will also work with its MyQ lights.
2. Chamberlain Smart Garage Hub
The Chamberlain Smart Garage Hub is a HomeKit-enabled device that can turn anyone’s garage door opener — MyQ or not — into a HomeKit-enabled garage door opener.
It’s essentially a bridge device that communicates over your WiFi network and a remote for triggering your garage door. It also features a door sensor that can determine whether your garage door is open or closed.
The current iteration of the device, the Chamberlain MyQ Garage, is listed as the best smart garage door controller over at The Wirecutter.
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say adding HomeKit functionality will only improve upon the device. I’m gonna go out on another limb here and say I’m very much looking forward to trying this when it’s available.
3. LiftMaster MyQ
LiftMaster, Chamberlain’s line of professional-install garage door openers, will also offer up HomeKit compatibility.
Anyone with a MyQ-enabled LiftMaster garage door opener can snag a MyQ HomeBridge starting on or before April 2017. Just like the Chamberlain MyQ line, the HomeBridge is a retrofit upgrade to HomeKit functionality.
4. Nold Open (reportedly)
The Nold Open is a tiny Bluetooth LE device that you wire up to your existing garage door or fence. From there, you can connect to the Nold Open with your smartphone or computer, set up auto-unlock functionality, share access with friends and family, etc.
The current iteration of the Nold Open isn’t HomeKit enabled, but the company says HomeKit compatibility is coming in February.
Despite the need for a bit of wiring know-how, I find this solution to be one of the most compelling. The simple, tiny device seems a lot more elegant and tucked away. I’ll be keeping my eye on Nold Open.
Open sesame?
Does a HomeKit-enabled garage door opener sound like something you’d want to have in your smart home setup? Are you already rockin’ a WiFi-enabled opener from Chamberlain or LiftMaster? Gimme all the deets — in either the comments below or over on Twitter!