Apple tells Lutron: 'Siri, turn off the lights'

Apple had previously said its HomeKit home-connection technology wasn't ready — until late summer this year. And look, on the 2nd, Lutron announced that a HomeKit-compatible version of its Caseta lighting system is now available at the Apple Store.

Lutron Caseta Wireless Lighting Starter Kit

The HomeKit-compatible starter kit from smart lighting manufacturer Lutron is now available for pre-order at $230. Plug a lamp into this smart plug and you can control it — for example, dim it — or automate control via your iOS device, such as telling Siri to turn off the lights.

One year ago, Apple announced its ambitions for the connected home and planned to launch an iOS-based smart home platform called HomeKit. Now, the first HomeKit-compatible products have finally reached consumers. On June 2, 2015, U.S. time, Lutron announced: "Caséta Wireless Lighting Starter Kits should appear in all Apple retail stores." According to reports, the Caséta Wireless Lighting Starter Kit is now available for purchase at Apple stores throughout North and South America (excluding Brazil) as well as on Amazon. This also means HomeKit is finally beginning to make some tangible progress.

This kit comes with a smart bridge hub, two plug-in dimmer modules, and two remote controls, which means the phrase "Hey Siri, turn on the lights" has finally become a reality.

Connect this white Hub to your router, and use Lutron's proprietary Clear-Connect protocol to link it to the lights in your home, allowing you to control LED, halogen, and incandescent bulbs via Lutron's Android or iOS app to dim them or set schedules and more.

Updating the existing app will enable Siri integration, but does not include remote Siri access. Specifically, Siri can handle everything for you indoors, but if you want to remotely control appliances in a room, you'll need an Apple TV to make up for this.

In addition to this $230 Caséta Wireless Lighting Starter Kit available at Apple stores, Lutron has also launched wall dimmers and shade controllers, which can also be controlled via Siri. However, these products will be limited to online retailers and dealers because they involve a more complex installation process.