Hey Siri®, tell everyone that the Rachio 3 now supports HomeKit™

Announcements
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REJOICE! The Rachio 3 can now control all of your favorite smart home devices with Apple HomeKit™ or by asking Siri®. The integration also allows homeowners to control their sprinklers by talking to Siri on any iOS device, Apple TV®, Apple Watch® or HomePod™ - even when they’re far from home.

Even better news? Rachio 3 leads the category with the most smart home integrations. We’re the first smart sprinkler controller to work with Apple HomeKit.

Yay! Now how do I set it up?
Connecting to HomeKit is easy.

  1. Update your app to version 3.8.3.
  2. Find your HomeKit code in the Rachio App by tapping the More tab and then Controller Settings. Go into the HomeKit settings, and there you will find your HomeKit Code. Write this code down.
  3. Use the code to add Rachio 3 as an accessory in the Apple Home app.
  4. Customize settings and control Rachio 3 from the Apple Home app.

Need more help or have other questions? Click here!

What can I do with Rachio 3 & HomeKit?

  • Bring your smart home under one roof. Easily control all of your smart home devices within a single app. With Rachio 3 and HomeKit integration, extend your smart home out into the yard using the Apple Home app on iPhone or iPad.
  • Control watering from the Apple Home app and Siri. Add Rachio 3 to HomeKit to start and stop each zone or stop a pre-programmed schedule from running.
  • Just ask Siri. Ask Siri to “turn on zone 1” or “stop watering zone 8,” for hands-free watering control from iOS devices, HomePod™, Apple Watch®, and more.

What about Generation 1 and Generation 2 users?

Unfortunately, only the new Rachio 3 hardware is equipped to connect with Apple HomeKit. This was a heartbreaker. For the last year and a half, a team of engineers has worked to try to fit the HomeKit required firmware onto the Generation 2’s processor memory. Ultimately, it was not possible to add HomeKit to Gen 2 controllers.

@brad, our Director of Hardware, said “We knew HomeKit would be a breeze on the Rachio 3 because the R3 hardware has four times the memory. We tried incredibly hard to make HomeKit work for our Generation 2 users and we sincerely apologize that we couldn’t.”

However, if you’d like to upgrade to the Rachio 3 to benefit from the HomeKit integration, you can use the code HomeKit30 to get $30 off a Rachio 3! (Hint: buy here, code valid through October 7)

Why all the silence and secrecy around HomeKit up until now?

A few reasons. We never want to set unrealistic expectations, so keeping it under wraps and allowing us time to make this right was our goal. In addition, some assumptions made by users were correct - we weren’t allowed to say much up until now.

We’re SO excited to finally be able to release this long-awaited feature to everyone. Thank you for being patient with us - and keep sharing your feedback. We’re listening!

:cheers:

Lo + the Rachio Team

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It’s a disappointing news for many Gen 2 users. If HomeKit is impossible, maybe you can enable Weather Intelligence™ Plus for Gen 2?

BTW. Congratulations for expanding Gen 3 posibilites.

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Yay, that was easy!

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Well that’s a bummer but not entirely unexpected. I don’t personally use HomeKit but it seems like the newly allowed software-only solution could have included Gen2. Congrats to the Gen3 owners whom use HomeKit. :cheers:

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So sorry for the disappointment, @faktory! We’re excited about the opportunity but super bummed about not being able to add this (or Weather Intelligence Plus) to Generation 1 and 2.

Woohoo!! Nailed it. Looks awesome, @aristobrat

We were so bummed that we couldn’t get HomeKit to work with the Generation 1 or 2. As I mentioned above, our engineering team worked incredibly hard to get it on there, but the memory just didn’t allow for it.

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@laura.bauman
Oh, Weather Intelligence Plus for Gen 2 is not possible too? Why? It’s a service outside hardware :slight_smile:

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I’d like to upgrade to G3 just to be on the latest and greatest. However, $30 isn’t a figure that even starts to make me want to shell out $249.99 (after discount) to replace my still relatively new 16 zone G2. The generational differences just aren’t big enough in my personal opinion.

I’d prefer Rachio offered a trade-up program where you take back our current model, refurb/certify it with a new warranty and sell it to someone else at a lower price, then provide us a deeper discount to upgrade to the latest model.

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I’m sorry @faktory, Weather Intelligence is not available on the Generation 2 - only the Rachio 3 and the Costco model for Generation 2.

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Great insight, @scorp508! Thank you for the feedback. A trade up program has been something we’ve considered and will continue to consider. Unfortunately, at this time we don’t currently have such a program.

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Yes, I know, which is why I keep bringing it up so it isn’t forgotten. :slight_smile:

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Haha! We appreciate you keeping us accountable, @scorp508 :slight_smile: We promise it’s not forgotten!

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Anything on Amazon Alexa compatible? I don’t mean I have to say “Alexa, tell Rachio to turn on Zone1”. I just want to say Alexa, turn on zone 1. Yes, the extra phrase “tell Rachio” is a lot to say over and over again :smiley: and I am not kidding.

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Ha! I believe it, @hln98! We’re continuing to work hard on the Alexa integration as well :slight_smile: Thanks for the feedback!

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Hey @hln98!

Do any of your other smart home devices not require the “ask (product name)” for the Alexa integration?

McKynzee :rachio:

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Yes. My Nest, Sonos, Ecobee, Philips Hue lights all work with Alexa without needing to say tell the “product name”.

Please note: while saying the product name may seem like a trivial thing, it is a pain when you have to repeat the phrase indefinitely.

I asked about this many months ago and keep getting the standard reply, we are working on it or we are looking into it. I don’t think that you are.

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Thanks for the insight, @hln98! You can trust that it is something we’re looking into, though we don’t have an official timeline of when that change could get done. Keep checking in, though! :slight_smile: We promise we’re listening!

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Well done Rachio I just try my zones from my HomeKit app and Apple :tv: everything works beautifully and smooth shot out to Rachio for their hard work and continuing to innovate and the best is yet to come thanks everyone at Rachio

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Wahoo! So great to hear @Anthony :slight_smile: Glad you’re loving it so far!