We have come a long way since the early 2000's where those with money were putting Control 4 and Crestron systems into their newly-constructed, expensive homes. Smart homes are now approachable and piece-meal for everyone to consume. There are currently three market leaders in what would be considered the mid-market from three leading tech companies.
While a lot of the products and devices we recommend come with their own app and ability to automate tasks, each of these products has different experiences, capabilities, principles and reliability. When you integrate each of these devices into single hubs or systems, it provides a more consistent experiences, plus you can support different devices working together. Motion sensors from one company can turn on lights from another, leaving the house can turn security cameras on, and flipping on a light can turn on a coffee machine. There have been many technical ways of doing this before, for example using a system like IFTT (if this, then that), but now even the non-technical have the ability to configure and experience the convenience. This is what the hubs offer - a single portal to all of these different products, plus a way to get them to add up to more than just the sum of their parts.
The Big A got off to a rocky start and still has a long way to go to catch up with the other platforms in this battle, but some of their choices have made it our leading contender. Apple has constantly taken a strong stance on privacy and security. Part of the reason there are so few devices directly compatible with HomeKit is because of their rigorous security and compliance process. This, along with the fact that the only HomeKit compatible microphone is the HomePod, makes the ability to use commands anywhere in the house and expensive endeavor.
Luckily, almost all smart devices that are compatible with Apple HomeKit are also compatible with the other ecosystems in this article. For that reason, we are focusing on HomeKit compatible devices and finding the best in class, because it will likely be the best choice for the other ecosystems as well. If there is highly-regarded product that isn't compatible with HomeKit we will call it out in the individual reviews.
Google has had more success in creating an ecosystem, and although they have some questionable business practices out of alignment with their original tagline of "don't be evil," their integrations are leading the pack. A lot of how we interact with the world is dictated by our smartphones, and given that over half of the US uses Android devices, this is the home ecosystem for the majority of us.
Google does a much better job of integrating the smart home with phones - allowing for more automation options and the ability to easily make phone calls, send text messages, and create calendar invites. Google's voice assistant is far more versatile than Apple's Siri, and provides a comfortable consistency for those who are Android loyal. While there have been privacy concerns regarding Google in the past, the anonymity of the data they store has been be pretty well established. For those families with a primary member who uses an Android we recommend using Google Home, because its integration with iOS is a lot smoother than HomeKit with Android.
Amazon set the smart world ablaze with the Echo smart speaker back in 2014 and ever since then has been releasing and acquiring more smart devices to be a part of their kingdom. The Alexa assistant continues to be integrated with more devices (both Amazon owned, and 3rd parties) and the controversy surrounding it compromises the idea of a secure, private smart home. With issues concerning its audio recordings and video sharing policies, Amazon has continued to demonstrate that privacy and anonymity are not concerns of theirs. If you like the convenience of the Echo and controlling the smart devices you have now, it's likely many of them will also work with Google Home, a platform much secure and privacy focused. However, we know many people are happy with their Amazon devices as we have serviced homes with Alexa at the core. We would be happy to help you too.
Our recommendation is that if you are just starting out and you have iPhones in your home, go Apple HomeKit, otherwise, Google Home. Whatever you decide, our expertise can help with any of the home systems listed above. Most products that are compatible with Apple are compatible with both other ecosystems so our product recommendations apply to any smart home preference.
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