Twinkly has been producing smartphone-controlled lights and decorations for some time, but earlier this fall, the company added HomeKit integration to all of its second-generation devices, allowing them to be controlled with Siri voice commands and the Home app. in addition to the Twinkly app.

Second-generation Twinkly devices are available from 2019, so this ‌HomeKit‌ update applies to newly sold lights and has also been added retroactively for those who already have compatible Twinkly products.

For those unfamiliar with the Twinkly brand, the company produces lights that can be set to one in 16 million colors. Luminous lights like this are most often used during the holidays, but thanks to the range of colors, Twinkly lights are great all year round for those who like the look of light.

Twinkly lights need to be connected to inkHomeKit‌ to connect, create a Twinkly account, and then update the firmware. After the latest update, there is a "HomeKit" option under the "Devices" tab that allows you to enable "HomeKit". From there, the omeHomeKit‌ setup is the same, minus the need to scan a QR code.

Just tap to add Twinkly lights to a omeHomeKit‌ setup, choose a room and a device name and everything is set. As with most smart lights that have multiple functions, what you can do with Twinkly through omeHomeKit‌ and the Home app is limited. You can change the colors of the lights to a single solid color, reduce the lights, and turn them on or off.

The controls work either in the Home app or with ‌Siri‌, and you can also create automations that include Twinkly lights so that you can set them to turn on or off at a certain time of day. Automation can be based on the time of day, who is at home or on the move, depending on what other accessories you have available. Programming is the most useful ‌HomeKit‌ feature here, as is the option to control Twinkly with other ‌HomeKit‌ products.

For true Twinkly luminous magic, the Twinkly app is required. The Twinkly app is rich in features and has all sorts of different lighting patterns and colors to choose from. There is a setup process to learn the Twinkly app how the lights are arranged and it is a bit complicated. By default, it uses a tree shape, but customizing it will make the effects look better if the lights are used in a different shape or orientation.

Twinkly has a gallery of 30 effects to choose from and they can be set up in a playlist to scroll through various options or set to play an effect indefinitely. There is also an FX expert for creating your own effects.

You can choose from basic options such as colors, stripes, gradients, plasma, a radiant sun or a glow effect, by selecting the colors there, plus there is an option to simply draw the lights with one finger, which would it could be fun for kids.

All the different Twinkly effects look fantastic and are very different from ordinary lights, which are white or limited to a handful of colors. Sparkling lights have millions of different color options, and with all the different effects, there are endless combinations you can create.

Twinkly offers changing rainbow colors, fireworks, bright lights in various colors, a "snake" effect modeled after the classic game, waves, diagonals, a radiant sunset look, mixed "carnival" colors and variations in various options. color.

The LEDs are super bright and vivid, with clear distinctions between each color. Blue, green and purple are saturated, and these are the colors that LED lights sometimes struggle with. Although the colors are rich, they can also be set to pastels and lighter tones if desired. My photos don't do much light, so I use some images from Twinkly, which are very true.

In terms of design, the lights are similar to standard lights and are just as prone to confusion as any other lighting option. However, the wiring is of high quality and there do not seem to be any problems with the construction. The lights heat up a little, but not warmer than other LEDs. At night, I set the lights to about 5% brightness, which is pretty much in the dark. At 100% brightness, they turn off a lot of light so you can use them in a wide range of lighting conditions.

Twinkly offers a music supplement that allows the lights to change depending on the music being played, which is a fun addition to parties and other gatherings, but not strictly necessary because of all the other effects you can play with.

Conclusion

The glittering lights are next-level Christmas lights and will look amazing on a tree, but they are also fun all year round, thanks to the wide range of color options and effects you can choose from. I had no problems with Twinkly lights during my testing, but I think they are expensive and will appeal especially to those who are willing to spend money on state-of-the-art lighting effects.

Adding omeHomeKit‌ to Twinkly Lights makes them more attractive than ever, as it's now easier to turn them on, off, and set up programs with ‌Siri‌ voice commands and the Home app.

How to buy

Twinkly sells a wide range of lights, including strings, bunches, turtles, curtains, spritzers, and even pre-lit trees, all of which can be purchased from Amazon and other retailers.

The standard line of 250 LEDs shown in this review is available for $ 120 from Amazon.com. Versions of 100 LEDs, 400 LEDs and 600 LEDs are also available.

Note: Twinkly provided MacRumors with a 250 LED Smart String Light for this review. No other compensation was received.