Chamberlain, the garage door opener company, continues to venture into the smart home integration market with support of new products and technologies. At the Consumer Electronic Show (CES), the company unveiled new functions and strategic initiatives to bring the convenience and control of MyQ technology to smart home adopters.
It’s hard yet to determine how garage openers will play into the smart home space, and at Sabine’s New House we are looking at consumer behaviors and needs closely as we carve out best-practices. But if you are prone to early adoption of technology and willing to take a gamble, this may be a fun new platform to play with.
Chamberlain has led the industry in establishing strategic relationships with multiple category innovators – Apple, Nest, Xfinity. The company’s support of these partners increases the usability and value of the leading connected-home ecosystems by delivering new levels of convenience and control to consumers. Following are the CES updates to several of these initiatives:
Apple
In 2017, Chamberlain is bringing HomeKit compatibility to MyQ-enabled devices. By July, Chamberlain will launch the Smart Garage Hub with support for HomeKit, a device that will allow users to open, close or check the status of their garage door, and turn MyQ- connected lights on or off using the Home app via their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple Watch, or by using Siri.
“The value of MyQ technology extends far beyond the garage, but into the daily fabric of families and their lifestyles in the home,” said Cory Sorice, Vice President of Marketing for Connected Products and eCommerce at Chamberlain. “Through our growing product line, new features that add convenience and control, and expanding partnerships with tech leaders, Chamberlain has established itself as the industry’s preeminent smart home innovator.”
Additional Chamberlain innovations and advances announced at CES are focused on integration with other product categories such as lighting. Its new scheduling feature aims to ensure that the garage door will never be left open and users will never come home to a dark house again. Chaimberlain’s “MyQ”-enabled lights can be turned on and off at specific times, mimicking the presence of someone at home. Lighting schedules can also be set remotely, providing peace of mind even when homeowners forget to set a schedule before leaving home.
Overall, Chamberlain joins a long list of manufacturers creating hubs for the smart home. Each has their own twist on how to tackle automation and at the end of the day it’s more about what you want from your whole house solution. While a standard is being sorted out we urge you to do your research and think about the ways smart home tech can improve and enhance your life. Then gravitate towards the solution that works best with the technology you already have, and can grow with you over time.