What you need to know
- Shortcut Labs has announced that HomeKit is now available for the Flic Smart Button 2 and Hub LR.
- HomeKit support allows the company's smart buttons to initiate scenes and actions with HomeKit devices.
- HomeKit requires the Flic Smart Button 2 and the Flic Hub LR.
Shortcut Labs has announced that the company's Flic 2 Smart Button is now compatible with Apple's HomeKit. Available via a free automatic update to the Flic Hub LR, Flic 2 Smart Buttons can now be used to trigger HomeKit scenes and accessories with just a press of a button.
"When we launched Flic 2 and the Flic hub LR on Kickstarter last year, HomeKit was one of the most requested new features. Since Flic is one of the very few units that act as a trigger and not something that gets triggered, it was a challenge to integrate it. It has been a long process but thanks to a close dialogue and collaboration with Apple, we managed to accomplish this together which we are very proud of", says Oskar Öberg, CTO of Shortcut Labs.
The Flic 2 Smart Button is a tiny wire-free accessory that attaches to most surfaces with just the included adhesives. The Flic 2 Smart Button supports three actions: a single press, a double press, and a long press, each of which can be assigned to different scenes or accessories. The button runs on a single coin battery that the company states last for years, and the controls can be personalized with stickers to help make identification easier.
Like other, HomeKit buttons and remotes, Flic 2 owners can use the device to trigger other HomeKit devices through scenes created in the Home app. For example, a movie night scene can be set, which turns off all the lights in the home, closes window shades, and turns on the TV all in one action. Individual HomeKit actions can also be assigned to the button, making the Flic 2 great for replacing a light switch when combined with smart light bulbs.
In addition to HomeKit, the Flic 2 also works with 1,000+ smart home accessories and services directly like LIFX light bulbs, Sonos speakers, and IFTTT through the Flic app. Possible combinations include playing and pausing music, advancing slides in a PowerPoint presentation, and snoozing an alarm.
The Flic 2 Smart Button and HUB LR are available now through Amazon or Flic's online store at flic.io. A starter kit that includes three buttons and the hub is available for $159.99, and additional buttons start at $29.99 each.
The Flic Smart Button 2 Starter Kit includes everything you need to get started with convenient controls for your HomeKit scenes and accessories. This set contains three incredibly compact Flic 2 Smart Buttons and the all-important Flic Hub LR.
