Apps for Smart Home: Discover the 5 best apps

Can you imagine being able to turn on the lights in your house or turn on the air conditioning by cell phone to find a pleasant climate when you get home? And still, regulate the temperature of the freezer to chill that drink before you even leave work? All this and more is possible thanks to smart home apps.

But after all, what is a smart home? 

We can define in a simplified way that smart homes or smart homes are properties equipped with products that, through the internet or Bluetooth connection, can perform tasks such as controlling, automating, and optimizing residential functions of our daily lives. 

This concept is well known for using state-of-the-art technology and being the most concrete in what we call IoT (Internet of Things). The purpose of smart homes is to ensure the convenience, safety, and comfort of residents. Whether to keep an eye on security through cameras, control the energy consumption of appliances, lock the locks, or turn on the TV among other diverse possibilities that this universe presents. 

What once looked like scenes from movies or the Jetsons family cartoon, today is real and can be done through smart home applications available for cell phones, tablets, computers, or even systems installed inside the home.

And how to create a smart home? 

Creating a smart home or making your home even smarter is no big deal. Nowadays, there is a range of devices on the market that allow you to control almost everything in your home through smart home apps installed on mobile phones, tablets, or computers – wearable devices can also be included in this.

To build a smart home, you should start with security-oriented homes automation devices, such as alarms, cameras, automatic gates, and locks. Leaving the outside area of ​​your home, you can opt for lighting devices, switches, and even sprinklers. 

Home appliances were not left out, there are numerous products with smart technology. Examples of this are televisions, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, and refrigerators.

Now that you know what a smart home is and how to build one, it’s interesting to know how to control all this technology. With that in mind, I’ve created a list of the top smart home apps for you to know. Check it out below!

Apps for smart home that you will know:

• Amazon Alexa
• Home
• smart things
• Google home
• LIFX

Amazon Alexa

Alexa is the name given to the artificial intelligence technology used in Amazon devices. Known for being a voice-controlled home assistant, Alexa is used in Echo Amazon products and other devices with the Alexa compatibility seal.

With the Amazon Alexa smart home app, available for Android and IOS, you can control various smart devices around your home, such as smart lamps, smart plugs, smart cameras, and even your shower heating. 

Once the smart home app is installed, you can configure your television to receive voice commands, as well as a simple phrase like “Alexa, turn on my TV” or “Alexa, turn on Netflix”. So you have full control of the device. You can also ask Alexa to boil the coffee water. That’s right! With the AppKettle kettle, this is possible.  

Home

Apple has developed its smart home app. With the app, controlling the lighting, checking the cameras, or adjusting the temperature of a room has become much easier and safer, as all accessories compatible with the smart home app are tested and approved by Apple itself.

With Casa, you can control the basic functions of your smart home, such as lamps, alarms, locks, switches, air conditioning, and fans. Even more complex functions like the garden irrigation system and window blinds can be controlled by this app.

It is worth remembering that this smart home application is only available for devices with the iOS system.

SmartThings

SmartThings is a smart home app that connects Samsung IoT devices via smartphone. Known for being easy to use, smart things allow you to simultaneously control a wide variety of devices. Among them are washers and dryers, refrigerators, air conditioning, motion sensors, and televisions. 

Although SmartThings is primarily designed to control Samsung devices, it is possible to use the app on other partner brands. Once configured, the smart home app automatically finds compatible devices around you with just a tap on the screen.

Importantly, it is also possible to control the smart devices connected to SmartThings by voice command. Just ask Bixby, Samsung’s virtual assistant, for help. Whether it’s changing the TV channel or doing some household chores, Bixby is always ready to help.

Google Home

Similar to Alexa, Google’s smart home app also lets you control the IoT devices scattered around your home. With Google Home, you can turn the lights on and off, close the curtains, change the TV channel, play music, make a shopping list and even prepare a cup of coffee. Just say “Ok Google” and the command you want it to run. 

Another possibility that the app offers is to create a custom routine. For example, when saying “Okay, Google. Time to sleep”, the assistant can turn off the lights and change the temperature of the air conditioning if necessary. 

It is worth remembering that the app is available for Android and iOS and that all devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network — in addition to the fact that the configuration of all devices must be done in the same app.

LIFX

LIFX is a smart home app available for Android and iOS designed just for lighting control. With it, it is possible to control the lights of the whole house, create schedules to turn them on and off, create groups but the environment in the house, set scenarios for when you go to watch a movie, and even apply animated visual effects when receiving friends at a get-together.

This app offers features ranging from basics like simple power on and off to advanced features like creating irregular schedules to make it seem like someone is home when there isn’t. It is also possible to create an environment with a warmer light at night to calm and another with a cooler light in the morning to energize. In addition to being able to customize the lights, painting the desired color with your finger on the app’s screen.

It is worth mentioning that the LIFX smart home app also has a voice assistant, that is, all commands can be done without the use of hands.

Finally

This text presents the best smart home apps available in app stores. With them we saw that it is possible to make the home more automated and smart, making our daily tasks even easier.