Logitech has announced the latest version of its Pop Smart button and revealed that it will be the first physical programmable button that works with Apple’s HomeKit.
The Swiss tech firm last year launched the Pop Home Switch, a button capable of carrying out certain pre-programmed actions when you push it — a little like Amazon’s Dash Buttons. The switch already integrated with a number of products, including August’s smart locks, Phillips Hue lights, and Sonos speakers, as well as the company’s own Harmony-branded home automation devices.
With the new “next generation” incarnation, Logitech and Apple are combining their respective smarts to open up more possibilities for creating a connected home. Apple first announced its HomeKit home automation platform way back in 2014, and while some third-party products and integrations have come to fruition since, HomeKit has yet to really take off in a big way.
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The new Logitech Pop Smart Button Kit will set you back $60 and will be available “soon” — exclusively through Apple’s online and brick-and-mortar stores. Other retailers will be added to the mix later in 2017, but the initial Apple exclusive suggests that the Cupertino tech titan is looking to turbocharge its connected home platform.
In terms of what’s in the kit, well, you’ll get one button with three gestures to customize your control, plus the Pop bridge, which is needed to connect the button to your home’s Wi-Fi. You can then buy additional “add-on” buttons for $40 each to extend functionality throughout the rest of your house.
“Today’s smart home is about bridging simplicity with a more shared experience,” said Renee Niemi, vice president and general manager of Logitech Smart Home. “We are passionate about enabling customers to get the most versatility and entertainment within their connected homes. Adding Apple HomeKit to Pop allows us to provide even more ways to simplify access to your HomeKit-enabled home for the entire family to enjoy.”
Owners of the first-gen Pop Switch can still update their device’s software to gain access to other new non-HomeKit integrations, but if you want to tap into Apple’s platform, you’ll need to buy a new device.
