Can you use Apple HomeKit’s adaptive lighting with Lutron switches?

On our most recent IoT Podcast, Tom called in to our voicemail hotline with a HomeKit question. He currently has Lutron switches but was thinking about swapping out the standard bulbs those switches control with smart bulbs. Why? Because he’s hoping to use Apple HomeKit’s adaptive lighting feature.

If you’re not familiar with it, Apple announced adaptive lighting last summer. With tunable bulbs that can range from soft white to daylight, adaptive lighting automatically adjusts the white color throughout the day. You’ll see warmer whites in the morning and afternoon, for example, and cooler whites later in the day into the evening.

Unfortunately, there are two issues Tom faces.

First, using Lutron smart switches with smart bulbs isn’t a great idea. The switches are designed to work with standard bulbs and manage all of the “smarts”. Adding connected bulbs into the mix, actually complicating things. Which of the smart devices are actually in control, for example, the switches or the bulbs?

However, even with standard bulbs controlled with Lutron switches, adaptive lighting isn’t currently an option.

That’s because device makers have to support the feature on existing solutions, which typically requires a firmware upgrade. And up to this point, only a few have: Philips Hue and Eve come to mind as adding support for adaptive lighting, although it only arrived within the past few months.

That doesn’t mean a Lutron setup won’t ever support adaptive lighting, but up to this point, the company hasn’t yet pushed out a firmware update to enable it. And even if Lutron does add it, normal bulbs wouldn’t be tunable, which adds another challenge.

To hear Tom’s question in full, as well as our discussion, tune in to the IoT Podcast below: