OmniaBlinds, new Arlo monitoring service, and Aqara's air quality sensor on HomeKit Insider

On the latest episode of the HomeKit Insider podcast, your hosts discuss the OmniaBlinds Thread-enabled HomeKit shades, Arlo's new subscription monitoring services, we share our first impressions of the Aqara air quality sensor, and we examine Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack.

This past week, OmniaBlinds announced its new set of blinds that support Thread, as well as Apple HomeKit. They have several customization options available with a launch later this year.

Arlo had an announcement of its own recently, introducing a new monitoring service and reorganized subscription tiers. The high-end tier provides a rolling 30-day window of 4K video recordings for unlimited cameras and professional monitoring. The less expensive subscription

includes 2K recording, AI recognition, and smart notifications, among other features.

Listener questions

Tim queried whether or not any UPS units HomeKit, or if he'd still need to use a regular UPS but provide a secondary power strip or smart plug to enable HomeKit.

George asked about the intricacies of HomePod connectivity and if each device requires independent setup or whether there were universal settings that apply to the house as a whole.

If you have questions, submit them to us on Twitter using #HomeKitInsider, and we will do our best to answer them on the next episode.

Links from the show

• HomeKit Insider - YouTube Channel
• Apple MagSafe Battery Pack — Your Questions ANSWERED!! - YouTube
• Can You Use Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack with iPhone 11? - YouTube
• OmniaBlinds to Ship Thread-Compatible Blinds in September (U)
• Arlo launches new subscription services including 24/7 monitoring
• Aqara releases HomeKit-compatible TVOC air quality monitor, use promo code TVOCPR2224
• Aqara Indoor Air Quality Monitor
• MagSafe Battery Pack Review
• APC UPS, 600VA UPS Battery Backup
• HomeKit Homily - Tweet Thread

Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at: andrew@appleinsider.com

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