Some years back we had to walk up to the television set, rotate the dial, and change the channel. After some time, remote controls were invented. Using remote control we could sit in one place, point the remote towards the TV, and using the buttons could change the channel. We thought that’s it. There could nothing be easier than this. But guess what? There is. Using a smart home app we don’t even need to get up to use the remote. We can just sit at one place and talk to our tv, telling it to go to a specific channel and it will. And not just kitchens, everything starting from kitchen appliances to the garage door, lights, fan, ac, curtains everything can be controlled. All because of home automation.
Here’s a list of the top 5 home automation apps that can help you turn your home into a fantastic automated house.
1. Amazon’s Alexa
The one smart home app that took the world by storm was Amazon’s Alexa. Alexa is used to control not only Alexa devices but also other smart home devices. Using this we can create shopping lists and listen to music too. Not only Amazon devices but Alexa is also compatible with devices like Philips Hue Smart Bulbs, Wemo smart plug, Lutron Caseta, Nest learning thermostat, iRobot Roomba 690 among others. To control your home using this app all you have to do say the name “Alexa” followed by your commands. If you are not comfortable with the voice control system, you can also use the app to control the devices.
2. SmartThings
SmartThings app comes from the house of Samsung. This app is used to control home IoT devices like a refrigerator, washer, dishwasher, air conditioner, etc very fast. One feature that makes this app stand out from the others is that it can check the status of devices and group some devices so that the devices in one group can be controlled at the same time. Also, through this app, you can change the settings of the devices and also get notifications about the same. Only Samsung products but the other devices which are supported by Samsung SmartThings are- Ecobee smart thermostat, Netgear Arlo wire-free Pro security camera, Yale Assure Lock home security system and after 2020 Google nest devices as well. Thus if you have this app then you do not need to have separate apps for each device.
3. Apple Home
One of those apps gives you complete Smart-home automation. The best part of this app is that it allows you to create scenes. You can add multiple devices in one scene and this saves you from the hassle of going to every device and switching it on or off. For example, if you create a ‘Leaving your home’ scene and tap on it then all at once your curtains will be closed, lights will be turned off and the thermostat will be set to be energy efficient. Apple home kit can be used from anywhere, be it an iPhone, iPad, or MacBook. Along with this, the Apple home kit is the most secure smart home application available.
4. MyQ Garage & Access Control
Opening and closing a garage door can be a task for anyone, but with the help of MyQ Garage & Access Control, this becomes easier. Also, the status of the garage door can be checked. Not only for garage doors but you can also control any door of the house. Products from Chamberlain, Liftmaster is compatible with MyQ. The additional features present in this app are setting up alerts for any activity, scheduling time to close or open your garage doors and turn your lights on or off, and granting access to MyQ guests.
5. Google Home
This app is not only made for android but it is popular on the iOS platform too. This app allows you to set up not only Google Home and Chromecast devices but also other devices such as lights, cameras, and many more. The devices compatible with this app are the Nest thermostat, Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, Honeywell Home, and WeMo among others. You can control the devices simply by a tap. Along with this, there are shortcuts for other additional options also like checking the weather, getting news highlights as well as turning the lights on or off. The app also gets personalized with time.