Your winter holidays have become a little brighter if you are looking for smart holiday lights to use with HomeKit. Thanks to a firmware update, Twinkly smart holiday lights have gained HomeKit support, allowing control of Apple's smart home system for the first time.
The new Twinkly update - firmware version 2.8.3 - brings the long-awaited HomeKit support for some smart holiday light models. The update is available through the Twinkly iOS app.
Manage Twinkly using the Home app via HomeKit
Once you have the update, you can control the Twinkly lights remotely through the Home app, if you have it installed on your device. You can connect the lights to your Home via HomeKit, and then manage Twinkly using your iPhone or iPad or your Apple TV and Apple HomePod.
Twinkly said that HomeKit support is available for Gen II and Plus models. These include classic light strings, curtains, groups and turtles in sets with a different number of LEDs. After upgrading to firmware, you'll see a new HomeKit option in the device menu for Twinkly compatible models. Then, with a few quick selections, you can start managing your festive lighting.
Colors, automation and scenes
Once you add Twinkly lights to the HomeKit, they work just like other smart lights in the Home app. You can set color controls, automations, and scenes. You can also control the lights with Siri voice commands.
When you turn on a dynamic scene or custom colors, you can return to a previous state by turning on Twinkly lights via Siri or the Home app. But you'll need the Twinkly app to switch between built-in effects, as they aren't currently available through the Home app.
You can buy Twinkly lights from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Prices start at $ 70 for a string of 100 LEDs. Firmware version 2.8.3 with HomeKit support is now being released for free via the Twinkly iOS app.
Where to buy: Amazon