TP-Link’s separate smart home brand Tapo, which already has a small foothold in the European market, is setting itself up for a US launch, with a few new products, some of which will be HomeKit compatible out of the box.
The first of these is a six-outlet smart power strip that also includes three USB ports. Each outlet has a physical power button, and the strip is capable of energy monitoring, although whether that’s for the combined use of all outlets or each outlet individually, is unclear. This feature is only available via the company’s own Tapo app, however, as is usually the case. For US users the strip comes with ETL-certified surge protection. The connection is via 2.4GHz WiFi.
the next two items are a colour bulb, capable of the standard 16m colours, whilst also boasting a CRi of 90. As it’s WiFi, it’s already entering a crowded market, with that market almost certainly gradually switching over to Thread, which may make it an unpopular choice these days.
The Thermostat also uses WiFi and is designed for standard HVAC systems. It has built-in energy management controls to help keep costs in check, and works with the company’s own sensors to use what is described as ‘Follow me’ mode, which “readjust indoor temperature based on where people are”.
Finally, although it’s not actually HomeKit compatible, will work with Siri Shortcuts via the Tapo app. It boasts ‘precise temperature control’ via the on-device interface, schedules and timers, voice control, ‘open window’ detection, frost protection, and long battery life of at least one year.
nearly all of Tapo’s product lineup is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, with some using a sub-1GHz hub (probably RF433MHz).
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Credit to JC Pirello in the Apple HomeKit Users Group for the find.