HomeKit is the platform of choice for my smart home, but there are still ways that Apple could expand its platform to grow with users as their home grows and as their families change. While Apple allows you to invite people in your family to have access to your home as well as invite guests. My current problem is that I want to give my child selective access to some, but not all, devices. Selective device sharing is something Apple should add to HomeKit.

HomeKit weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, tips and tricks for automation and everything to do with the smart home Apple frame.

My oldest son is approaching the age of using his iPad to access Apple Music and has used Echo Dot to control the lamps in his bedrooms. I thought I'd share our HomeKit configuration with him, but I'm worried about giving him access to our entire HomeKit structure.

In recent weeks, we have invested in integrating our thermostats with HomeKit and installing a security system that has HomeKit integration. While I agree with my kids having access to things like Apple lights, speakers and TVs, I would love to lock them into devices that don't need access to their age.

How should Family Sharing work with HomeKit?

In recent years, we have gone from a few lamps on HomeKit to almost every light in our home, to every TV, alarm system, door locks and locks. It goes from comfort to an essential part of our home. Because of the access from the Home app on the iPhone and the Siri on the HomePod, I can do so many things around my house, without even thinking about it.

As a result, HomeKit security is becoming increasingly critical. If my kids were able to control the thermostats on their iPads, I could raise my electric bill if it increased the heat to 75 degrees in winter instead of the 68 degrees I keep. If they had access to our alarm system or door locks, they could access sensitive parts of our HomeKit configuration without prior authorization.

Which I would like to see how Apple does with future versions of the Home app on iOS and macOS, allow me access to my other Family members access to all our devices, but not the ability to change them. I would be fine if I could see the state of our alarm system, but it wouldn't change it. They could see the temperature on the floor of their house, without being able to change the temperature we set in our program. They should be able to see if the doors are locked, but they can't unlock them from the iPad or from Siri.

Wrap up

As families increasingly integrate HomeKit devices, it will be imperative for Apple to allow primary HomeKit owners to selectively share specific devices with other members of their families. With my August lock on Alexa, I have to enter a PIN code to unlock my door verbally. As I increasingly integrate from my home into HomeKit, I want Apple to recognize that not all members of a home can access all the devices.

Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

[Embed] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tldlIVQG-aw [/ embed]