Josh One

[eggzlot]

6 hours ago, cnicholson said:

Part of this week's Apple announcements are rumored to include new "U2" wideband chips.   I have assumed for a while that Apple would turn your Apple Watch into a precise indoor tracker, using HomePods and Apple TVs (etc.) as triangulation beacons to track what room you're in (and not just that you're home).   Maybe that is finally coming.   With existing 3rd party Homebridge drivers, that stuff could be easily tracked via C4 dummy devices.

But again there has to be some nice logic on the backend

what if we are in the kitchen and guests are leaving and we want to turn on outdoor lights - can’t say lights on and the system think we are in the kitchen so still will need room name

and again if someone is sleeping if someone with a watch walks in and lights go on that’s annoying

its cool it CAN happen - my simple mind has trouble processing the how and why behind it

[cnicholson]

On 9/10/2023 at 2:52 PM, eggzlot said:

my simple mind has trouble processing the how and why behind it

My assumption is that Apple would implement this based on their existing framework.  There are two concepts: occupancy and the intended target room of a command.   Currently, Homekit tracks whether people are "home" or not (or other rough geofencing).   That could be refined using Air Tag type locations (via U2 chips) so Homekit could also track which room you are in.   This could drive presence based automation.  Related, but separate, is using location as a "hint" to decode the scene/device you are trying to control.   Currently, if you talk into your phone or watch and say "turn on the lights," it doesn't know what (where) you mean.  You can always *specify* room "turn on the outside lights" and it will turn on the light device(s) (or scenes) in the "outside" room.    Compare that to when you talk to an Apple TV or HomePod.   Homekit *always* knows what "room" you are in, because you must assign those devices to a room (and it knows which microphone hears you most clearly).   See what I mean?   I would like enhancement so it always knows which "Room" your watch and phone are in and have Homekit be smart about this.  So, when in Kitchen, if you tell watch to turn on lights, it turns on the *kitchen* lights.  Hope that makes sense.