Savant Rolls Out First Product With Siri, HomeKit Compatibility; Adds Builder Partner

Savant is embedding its new smart home software in the Smart series sound bar, the first “of many” coming Savant products to bring Siri and HomeKit compatibility to the company’s connected home experience, it said Wednesday. HomeKit-compatible products will directly control HomeKit and Savant third-party devices via the control company’s software, allowing users to manage door locks, smart thermostats, light bulbs and other compatible devices using Siri on an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, HomePod and through the native voice button a Savant Pro handheld remote. The company also introduced a high-fidelity smart audio amplifier that will support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit and streaming music services, featuring 24-bit 96 kHz music playback with ultra-low latency and 125 watts per channel power. An onboard digital signal processing engine has an equalizer and was optimized for Savant loudspeakers including its small-aperture Power over Ethernet speakers, said the company. The SmartAmp will be available in the summer for $699, it said. Also Wednesday, Savant said New Home is its first partner for its breaker companion modules, saying the intelligent modules were designed to snap into standard breaker panels, allowing homeowners to add energy management services to their smart home. As part of a Savant control system, the modules provide energy usage and reporting data across all electrical load types and can be the foundation for a net-zero-compliant home design, it said. The modules meet California’s Title 24 energy regulations and are Apple HomeKit-compatible. Savant is developing intelligent automation for New Home that will allow lights and color temperatures to be set at certain levels based on executed scenes; it will also enable a single room or entire home to be put into a default circadian rhythm mode to promote health and wellness. The Savant partnership is part of a new initiative called EVO Home Tech, about “updating today’s new homes with tomorrow’s ideas,” said Megan Eltringham, New Home corporate vice president-marketing. The homebuilder will unveil the program throughout 2019, offering homes with increased connectivity, customization and wellness features, she said.