Why is HomeKit Integration so tough to develop? (Not Homebridge)
Deferred
S
Sean Thompson
started a topic
over 2 years ago
What is stopping the developers from adding HomeKit support? I’ve been watching and waiting...
Sean
Nate Clark
said
over 2 years ago
Because Apple requires HomeKit accessory developers to join the Apple MFi program which has tons of onerous requirements, including restricting us to use one of Apple's approved manufacturers. We would have to completely redo our product development, procurement, and manufacturing processes to comply. Only huge companies can afford to do this.
Just provide a json config for HomeKit Accessory Architect and leave it up to users to flash it.
Mike Kormendy
said
over 2 years ago
@Luis,
That would never happen because of Apple's licensing of the HomeKit accessory server library which forbids subsequent licensing, modifications, or distribution for commercial purposes. It even says that on the HomeKit Accessory Architect project's GitHub readme in the only few paragraphs on the repository:
Although already forbidden by the sources and subsequent licensing, it is not allowed to use or distribute this software for a commercial purpose.
Konnected.io runs a legitimate business and respects the licensing of third-party applications and software. That being said, many also prefer the Homebridge route because it allows them to be able to privately collect their own statistics and analytics (with reporting dashboards) for any of the devices on their Homebridge bridged-network of accessories and home automation devices. You can't necessarily do that with the RavenSoft custom ESP firmware out of the box, and its worse with actual HomeKit certified devices as Apple doesn't have any sort of analytics platform exposed for personal use.
Because Apple requires HomeKit accessory developers to join the Apple MFi program which has tons of onerous requirements, including restricting us to use one of Apple's approved manufacturers. We would have to completely redo our product development, procurement, and manufacturing processes to comply. Only huge companies can afford to do this.
https://mfi.apple.com/en/faqs.html
Just provide a json config for HomeKit Accessory Architect and leave it up to users to flash it.
@Luis,
That would never happen because of Apple's licensing of the HomeKit accessory server library which forbids subsequent licensing, modifications, or distribution for commercial purposes. It even says that on the HomeKit Accessory Architect project's GitHub readme in the only few paragraphs on the repository:
This project uses a modified version of Apple HomeKit accessory server library ESP-HomeKit from @MaximKulkin for ESP-OPEN-RTOS. And it uses a modified version of OTA update system Life-Cycle-Manager (LCM) from @HomeACessoryKid.
Although already forbidden by the sources and subsequent licensing, it is not allowed to use or distribute this software for a commercial purpose.
Konnected.io runs a legitimate business and respects the licensing of third-party applications and software. That being said, many also prefer the Homebridge route because it allows them to be able to privately collect their own statistics and analytics (with reporting dashboards) for any of the devices on their Homebridge bridged-network of accessories and home automation devices. You can't necessarily do that with the RavenSoft custom ESP firmware out of the box, and its worse with actual HomeKit certified devices as Apple doesn't have any sort of analytics platform exposed for personal use.