Cloud-based service, with new Homey Bridge device offering extra connectivity
The beauty of a smart home is in the interconnectedness of it, and there are plenty of apps and devices vying for your custom by offering to streamline everything and set up workflows and systems to suit your needs.
One of these was Athom’s Homey device – but it’s now been relaunched as an entirely cloud-based service, free to use via a simple app.
“We have taken the technology that powers Homey, and completely rebuilt it to work in the cloud,” said Emile Nijssen, Athom’s Creative Director. “Without the upfront requirement to buy any hardware, everyone can now use Homey for free.”
Homey allows you to connect your smart home devices (from more than 1,000 brands), and you can also create “Flows” to automate various processes around your home.
The new free version allows you to connect up to five devices, while Homey Premium (£2.99 a month) allows unlimited devices while also offering Homey Insights and Homey Logic, which allow you to analyse your smart home use and create more advanced Flows.
Of course, there’s always the possibility that some of your devices aren’t cloud-enabled, and so still require a hardware device to connect; Homey has its own smart home hub – the Pro – already on the market already.
Added to that now, there’s the new Homey Bridge (£69 with three months’ Homey Premium included.
Homey Bridge allows connections via Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Infrared and 433MHz.
The new Homey app is currently in public beta and you can join the waiting list today, while the Homey Bridge is on sale now. You will require an active beta account to use the Bridge, though.
In addition, the power user Pro smart home hub is still available, for a one-time price of £399.