Apple made an announcement that it expects to have more than 100 HomeKit-compatible accessories available on the market by the end of this year. Device maker support has been slow due in part to Apple's requirements for a proprietary HomeKit chip, which helps to secure smart home devices, writes Apple Insider.
Monday's release of iOS 10.2 brought meaningful changes to Apple's HomeKit platform, with expanded smart home notifications, giving users the ability to receive instant alerts for a variety of new connected device types in their home. Apple's much-awaited iOS 10.2 update is now up for grabs after a long and extensive beta period for iPhone and iPad.
Start Receiving Alerts From Devices That Support iOS 10.2 Update
Those who are plunging into home automation will welcome iOS 10.2's HomeKit improvements. iOS 10.2 increases support for notifications from a variety of HomeKit accessories, with door and window detectors, window coverings, occupancy, motion, smoke, carbon monoxide, and water leak sensors.
To enable or disable this, user needs to open Apple's Home app and select the appropriate device via firm press on 3D Touch devices, or long press on non-3D Touch devices. Tap the "Details" button at the bottom, and then scroll down to "Status and Notifications." HomeKit vendors can also send notifications when HomeKit accessories have software updates available.
List Of Other Features Spotlighted By iOS 10.2
IOS 10.2 updates present a new "TV" app for discovering video content (US only) a new and unified experience for accessing TV shows and movies across multiple video apps. Apart from dozens of new and beautifully restyled emoji characters including new faces, food, sports, animals and professions that reveal more details, writes Breaking News. Other changes in iOS 10.2 include a widget for the Videos app, three new wallpapers, a "Preserve Camera" setting, and a "Press and Hold to Speak" menu under Accessibility settings for the home button.
The Messages app has a new "Celebration" full-screen effect, and the status bar has an additional headphone icon, for clearer Bluetooth audio accessories are connected. The icon was already visible to Beats Solo3 and Powerbeats3 owners plus several bug fixes and stability improvements. This can be installed with roughly 360 MB update via Settings > General > Software Update or through iTunes.
