Apple HomeKit and Google Home are the two best smart home platforms. HomeKit is tightly regulated by Apple, allowing it to offer a streamlined experience that works seamlessly with all products in its catalog. Google, meanwhile, offers more freedom — its catalog is much larger than HomeKit, and developers are largely free to use the software as they see fit. Google Home also recently received a major overhaul, making its app easier to use than ever before.
But is Google Home or Apple HomeKit the better smart home platform? From compatible smart home gadgets to essential hubs, here’s a look at HomeKit and Google Home to help you decide which is best for your setup.
What is a smart home platform?
Apple
If you’re a bit confused about what a smart home platform is, you’re not alone. They are a fairly new development in the world of technology, but they give you surprising versatility. The smart home platform is what the other devices in your smart home connect to — allowing you to command them remotely, sync their performance with other devices, or simply check on them without ever having to leave your couch.
All smart home platforms work in a similar way, but not all products (such as smart lights or thermostats) support all platforms. Matter hopes to solve that problem in the future, but for now, choosing a smart home platform is still a big decision.
Hub devices
John Velasco/Digital Trends
Most smart home platforms required a Hub device to control all actions. They essentially serve as the brains of the operation, taking voice commands and issuing your commands to the appropriate devices. They often come in the form of a smart display or smart speaker, and while you’ll probably want to pick one up for HomeKit and Google Home, they’re no longer necessary.
Google Home devices can be controlled remotely using the Google Home smartphone app, and HomeKit devices can be controlled remotely using the HomeKit smartphone app. Of course, adding a hub (such as the Apple HomePod or the Google Nest Hub Max) to your smart home is highly recommended, as they provide an easier way to communicate with your system.
Google has an advantage here because Google Home supports a wide range of Hub devices from different manufacturers. HomeKit, meanwhile, has shifted to using a smaller set of Hub devices — such as the HomePod or Apple TV 4K.
Winner: Google Home
Compatible devices
Nest
As was the case with Hub devices, the list of compatible devices (such as smart speakers, bulbs, thermostats, and smart locks) that sync with Google Home is much longer than for HomeKit. Apple has locked down the HomeKit ecosystem tightly, and while that means all available HomeKit products integrate seamlessly with each other, it also means you have a much smaller catalog to draw from.
To get a better look at which smart home devices work with each platform, check out our reviews of the best Google Home devices and the best HomeKit devices.
Winner: Google Home
Ease of use
Zeke Jones / Digital trends
Both Google Home and HomeKit are intuitive and easy to use, thanks to companion smartphone apps and easy access to voice commands. However, the HomeKit app is not readily available on Android. It works great with iOS products, but anyone using a Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel device will want to look elsewhere for their smart home needs.
Winner: Google Home
Judgment
With its availability on iOS and Android, a wide range of compatible products, and plenty of unique hubs to get the action started, Google Home is the better smart home platform for most homeowners. A smart home setup powered by Google Home gives you the freedom to choose the products that best suit your needs (and budget), and its lineup of first-party products often rivals those offered by Apple.
Conversely, if you’re loyal to Apple and already own an iPhone, you may find HomeKit to be a better option. Its catalog of devices isn’t nearly as robust as Google Home, but what’s available is high quality and usually among the best on the market. And because HomeKit is so tightly regulated by Apple, it could offer better security than Google Home — which allows dozens of third-party manufacturers with questionable privacy histories to use the platform.
At the end of the day, choosing HomeKit or Google Home comes down to personal preference. Most homes would be best served by Google Home and its vast catalog, but Apple enthusiasts will find a lot to love about HomeKit and its exclusivity.
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Source: newstars.edu.vn