With the introduction of Aqara Smart Products to HomeKit way back in 2017, users of our preferred smart home platform got a boost, with more affordable switches and sensors, where previously the prices seemed a little harder to swallow. Fast forward to late 2020, and Lidl, the multinational supermarket chain, began its first foray into the smart home arena, with a series of Zigbee-based products centred around its own gateway, at the kind of super lower prices that would make Ikea blush. At the time of launch, however, Lidl wasn’t compatible with HomeKit, only Google Assistant.
Good news may be coming to new smart home users on a tight budget, as it now seems that Lidl is preparing to introduce HomeKit compatibility to at least some of their products, of which there are already many, the evidence of which is via a recent update to their own Lidl Home app, which now requests access to your ‘Home Data’ – in other words your HomeKit home.
This, of course, doesn’t guarantee that HomeKit will come to the Lidl range soon, or at all, as there are no guarantees, but requesting access to this kind of data does only mean one thing, even if the company have yet to follow through. Furthermore, the app is also compatible with Siri Shortcuts, so if you’re already in possession of any Lidl smart home products, you can get halfway there with Siri commands.
LIDL SMART PRODUCTS
While the range of products seems to vary from region to region, considering Lidl has been in the smart home game for less than a year, there are a lot of products to be bought, with a starter pack, including the Zigbee 3.0 hub, three E27 colour bulbs, and remote, priced at a mere €60.00.
The company also offer colour bulbs in GU10 and E14 sizes, as well as motion sensors, contact sensors, a smart plug, smart power strip, and a colour light strip. The Lidl Home app reveals yet more products, including panel lights, garden lights, and chain lighting, as well as listings for a smart heater and a smart doorbell, although all of the above depends on the region you live in, as to whether they’re available.
Thanks to Mariusz Szwed for the tip off.