I replied to mckynzee below…
A competitor has added HomeKit support.
CES 2018: Orbit Adding HomeKit to Lawn and Garden Watering Systems
I assume the irrigation profile is now released?
I hope Rachio adds HomeKit support to Gen 1 this spring/summer.
Note - I said Gen 1 (which I currently own) - as Apple has removed the requirement for special hardware with HomeKit.
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https://developer.apple.com/documentation/homekit/hmservicetypeirrigationsystem
Since the profile has now been officially released, I was hoping we could get an official comment as to adoption timeline.
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I’m in the market for a new irrigation system. I would VERY much like to have HomeKit support baked in to whatever is installed. I would be inclined to ensure my contractor of choice uses a HomeKit compatible system! I like the features that Rachio includes … but I cannot push for this system if I have no assurance of HomeKit integration with whatever is currently available. ANY information would be extremely useful at this point!!
Just got an email that the Gen3 launched today. Here’s to hoping the Gen2 isn’t shelved as far as HomeKit Support goes. I’d be very disappointed.
Orbit B-Hyve integrates HomeKit and is available for purchase now, so the profile is clearly officially released. We have all waited, and now that you are able to comment, please let us know Rachio’s plans.
I can switch each zone on/off from whitin Homekit using our Apple devices. Even use the Homekit scheduler.
To get this working I use a combination of software.
Home Assistant
Homebridge
IFTTT
No problem to share my setup files etc.
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@wtx - how come when one looks at Apple’s Homekit page there is no mention of sprinklers or faucets? Nor any accessories that one can buy in those categories from Apple’s website? Furthermore, when one searches for sprinkler across Apple’s entire site there are no results.
I do believe the sprinkler profile has been released to developers, but I haven’t seen any release notes up through iOS 11.3 that mention the sprinkler profile being released to end users.
Until the sprinkler profile is publicly released to non-developers, I don’t think Rachio will comment.
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So a search of the B-Hyve forum for HomeKit comes up with these posts (from their staff):
Thanks for your questions CAMAROGRANA2!
- Homekit will connect via Wi-Fi. Homekit will be available with the timers that have on the manual program button “A,B,C,D” instead of just “A,B,C”.
- We are still working on certification.
and
Thanks for posting MICHELVE! The MFi chip is installed and the timers are Homekit ready. Soon with an app update you will be able to use it with Homekit.
Both of those are dated 04/02, with no update since, so … I don’t think that B-Hyve has HomeKit integration yet, which probably explains why they don’t mention HomeKit at all on their main site.
FWIW, looks like folks have been buying/using B-Hyve for awhile now? Home Depot has a product review from back in February.
But seriously, boo on Orbit for selling this product as HomeKit ready when they haven’t even been certified yet. An owner on their forum mentioned that the box included the 8-digit HomeKit product code printed on it, but it didn’t work when he tried to add it to HomeKit (surprise). What a mess.
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Interesting. The outdoor B-Hyve no longer says HomeKit on its product page, while the indoor one still does: https://www.orbitonline.com/products/new/sprinkler-systems/timers/timers/indoor-wifi-timers/4-zone-b-hyve-indoor-timer-4547
However, as you point out, they are claiming in forums that all of the new outdoor timers ship with compatible hardware (https://bhyve.orbitonline.com/topic/homekit/) and software will be ready in the “coming weeks”.
Still, I don’t understand why Rachio reps are being so coy. There appear to be no embargoes from Apple about announcing future plans to support HomeKit.
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Orbit did a big HomeKit press announcement during CES (many tech blogs wrote stories based on it), then they appear to have pulled it all back (minus the citing you noted, which looks like something someone missed). Why would they do that, unless Apple asked them to?
The fact that some of their products are shipping with HomeKit setup codes in them, despite their product not even being certified yet, is something I’ve seen no other company do. Doesn’t sound like something Apple would knowingly approve them to do it.
My guess is that Apple is delaying things unexpectedly, and Orbit based their launch around the thought that HomeKit would be ready by then… and it wasn’t.
Rachio’s logo was on Apple’s HomeKit partner list last year at WWDC. That’s all I needed to see.
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Only silence from Rachio. It’s time. Profiles out. You got no excuses.
@06ajtayl - I think the only sprinkler profiles out there are development profiles. When one looks at Apple’s website it still doesn’t mention Sprinklers or Faucets:
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@06ajtayl - Until sprinklers shows up here on Apple’s site I’m going to give Rachio the benefit. Can’t comment on what/why other vendors are doing something.
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The silence by Rachio on their intentions regarding Homekit compatibility is deafening. Why the lack of transparency? Just tell us what is going on.
@Bgman - from what I’ve read it is Apple’s NDA/contract that is preventing Rachio from saying anything.
If I was Rachio, I also wouldn’t want to announce something that is dependent upon someone else (even Apple) delivering/enabling a feature to make it work.
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Apple has it in the “Sensor” category on their website.
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Remember when Orbit launched their B-Hyve product line at CES earlier this year? They came out of the gates talking about HomeKit compatibility.
… then HomeKit references disappeared from their website.
Here we are in September, and their products still don’t have HomeKit support yet.
Here’s their last update.
Hardly transparent. If Rachio isn’t saying anything and B-Hyve has removed all references to HomeKit and has that silly forum post up for the folks who bought B-Hyves thinking it’d have HomeKit, … and Apple’s categorizing the only HomeKit water-control product as a “Sensor” (not a sprinkler or valve), it sounds like some other factor is in play here.
Who knows. That was just my guess.
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If that is in fact the case, then I completely understand. However, that doesn’t explain why Eve is selling a smart sprinkler controller that uses the same HomeKit protocol that Rachio was supposedly waiting to be released. I seriously doubt Eve is violating there NDA. Something doesn’t make sense and I would think Rachio would do themselves and their customers a good service to explain their intentions (assuming of course that such disclosure doesn’t violate any NDA).