Leave a Review HomeScan for HomeKit
I’m not so sure about this app
You add devices that are HomeKit and save them then they disappear. Add a HomePod is NOT a HomeKit device? HOMEpod. What part of HomeKit does it need?WAGNIFACENT
Not what you want
You can stand right next to the device and still have poor signal strength reported. I don’t believe the readings at all. As other have noted it just shows every BLE device you have, which is probably way more then you know. Sorting out the HK devices is difficult, but doable. But again, I don’t trust the meter readings at all!Show lessMark38K
Developer Response
Hi, HomeScan shows exactly what iOS itself gives to it. If it is showing it was weak or bad, that’s because Apple is saying it is so. - AaronGarbage
This app is absolute garbage! If I could get my $0.99 I would. Every HomeKit device says unknown except for two, my smoke alarms. It would be helpful if it would tell you the MAC address, Bluetooth address or something to help identify the object and properly label them. Do waste your time or your money on this app.Show lessStevezie
Developer Response
Hi, not all HomeKit devices broadcast their Bluetooth names the same as they do to HomeKit, this causes the name matching algorithm to fail.very excited to have some more tooling available
I love this.
it would be helpful to be able to turn on various attribute visibility...
mac addr, type of packets, vendorID etc.
it would also be helpful to be able to associate BT addresses with devices that are airplay/otherwise-home-related, as opposed to JUST sensors. but regardless... Nicely done!!!Show lesswolfspyre
Developer Response
Hi, Sadly some of these details aren't available to third party apps such as Mac address. I'll see if I can pull other information in a future update.Very useful BUT!
It’s a useful app for those HomeKit tech tweakers, but it would be nice to have the established devices go to another page or stand still and have the other ones use average of max and min so they would keep jumping around. If you have a bunch of devices like I do you’ll see what I’m saying. It’s a challenge for sure.Show lessGood concept (?) useless execution
What use is it when there’s no way to identify nearly any device; nor does it limit it to my devices - and my network is *definitely* secured against anything that isn’t mine connecting.
Make this app make sense; be user friendly; have some use…
I really do like some of your apps a lot, so clearly you know what your doing.
I’m also IT-literate, but the app description & the actual app —> absolutely unrelated.
I actually purchased the 4 app bundle (which this app is contained in); of the 4 apps: 2 I find actually innovative, user friendly (ish), and super-useful (as I’ve yet to find anything analogous that’s as well designed - aesthetically and practically - and has cross-device comparability (iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch); the 3rd app in the bundle I’m fairly indifferent to (as, how many “replacements” for Apple’s native Home app are really needed).
And I don’t regret purchasing the bundle, as even with only 2 of the apps being to my standards it’s still worth it price wise.
So, thank you, for actually following a good-business pricing practice and not doing monthly subscriptions b/c that’s just evil.
But please, please: whatever you were attempting to do with *this* particular app —— [“if you don’t have something constructive to say, don’t” which I’m following here] —— but please bring whatever this is supposed to be to your usual good-standards.
It promises so much, and delivers only bafflement, confusion, and (inaccurate) doubt in my linguistic comprehension skills… (and that’s a mean thing to do to actual linguists ^_^*) —> description should match the product.
Also, it confuses me why some of your apps are amazing and some are … well ___ [not].Show lessdahliaesque
Developer Response
Hi, I’m sorry you feel that way. HomeScan only scans Bluetooth devices which as you should know are freely discoverable by any device. It does not scan any other networks nor claim to do so. It attempts to match HomeKit devices to Bluetooth devices where the names or identifiers of said devices match. That falls on the device manufacturers to maintain correctly. I cannot match up a device if it is returning no name or an incorrect name for example. I am limited by Apple and device manufacturers substantially for this app by them not providing access to the data needed to make identification work 100% of the time. Again, it only works with Bluetooth, not WiFi and has nothing related to network connectivity or how secure your network is. It is using how Bluetooth discovery functions to show the strength of devices. Feel free to reach out via the in app support to discuss this further. - Aaron Feel free to request a refund for the bundle if you are not pleased.Can’t really tell which are mine
This app reports several dozen (currently 49) devices (I’m in a condo complex with many neighbors) and it’s really tough to figure out which are the ones that are A) Mine, and B) Of interest. Every device that uses Bluetooth seems to be reported: There’s probably at least several for each person who lives in my building (phones, headphones, laptops, tablets,smart locks window sensors. )
The list doesn’t seem to be sorted by signal strength so the device you are standing right next to likely won’t be at the top of the list. The signal strength numbers fluctuate so rapidly that it’s tough to get a sense of what is going on.
The devices often don’t have any names that describe them. Out of 49 devices, 37 of them say “No Name”. The ones that do show names are my iPad, and HomePods, and Apple TV’s. Sometimes they show an unrecognizable alphanumeric which is probably the serial number of some neighbor’s laptop.
This might be more useful in a location where there are not many extraneous signals. But for me it’s just a waste of time.Show lessAtavachron
Developer Response
Hi, Sadly I am limited by what Apple offers to developers. Sorting by Strength is doable and something I have tested out but given they change so quickly it is impossible to actually reliably use the app when they sort up and down in real time thus making it unable to tap an item. No name devices are simply due to the Bluetooth device itself not presenting a name to iOS when it is requested. Again, I cannot show something I don’t have. Feel free to reach out to me via in app support and I’m happy to discuss any ideas you have to solve the sort by strength issues I’ve mentioned. - AaronJunk
Shows every connection as being bad or weakNurdled
Developer Response
Hi, HomeScan shows exactly what iOS itself gives to it. If it is showing it was weak or bad, that’s because Apple is saying it is so. - AaronAgree with others—huge potential but not there yet
So I agree with the other reviewers in that it absolutely NEEDS the ability to sort by signal strength and to be able to show MAC addresses.... since a list of several dozen “no name” devices is entirely unhelpful. As of now I feel like I definitely wasted $0.99.
This app could, one day, be exactly what we all have been needing. I just don’t understand why such basic features that seem simple to add weren’t included to begin with. I see no technical limitation that would impede adding “Sort by Strength”. And also, I could be wrong, but MAC addresses just seem 100% necessary here and shouldn't be too hard to add either. As of now it only tells me how many Bluetooth devices are in range of my phone with no way of telling which ones are which. I really want to love this app and I want it to work out but until those issues are addressed, it's useless to me. I'll be happy if the developer is able to improve it and of course I'm always happy to help support independent developers.
I really hope this app ends up on the 2021 Must-Have Apps list.... it certainly has lots of potential and if improved it could become essential for HomeKit users. One day maybe...?
Update: Turns out there are technical limitations likely due to Apple’s sandboxing which doesn’t allow access to MAC addresses. This particular fault apparently lies with Apple. I do wish there were some way around it to create any form of usable identifier that could help me narrow down which devices are which even if I have to create my own nicknames for each device. The only real way that I know of to remedy this on the user’s end is to manually power-down or physically move BT devices and reenable them one-by-one which is not very practical but would make this app a lot more usable. Just would take more effort than should be necessary due to the iOS sandboxing. I will be giving this a try.Show lesskonjur
Developer Response
Hi, Sadly I am limited by what Apple offers to developers. MAC addresses are not accessible to developers to show. Sorting by Strength is doable and something I have tested out but given they change so quickly it is impossible to actually reliably use the app when they sort up and down in real time thus making it unable to tap an item. No name devices are simply due to the Bluetooth device itself not presenting a name to iOS when it is requested. Again, I cannot show something I don’t have. Feel free to reach out to me via in app support and I’m happy to discuss any ideas you have to solve the sort by strength issues I’ve mentioned. - AaronAlmost useless
I very seldom if ever write reviews, but honestly fell bad paying $.99 for this app. It shows every Bluetooth device in all the houses around me with now way to distinguish which are mine! There is now method of sorting other than HomeKit or all. The problem is you as a user have to tell it which devices are HomeKit devices... Useless!
If they had some way to sort signal strength that would be a huge improvement. At least you could get a better idea of what device is what by moving around your house...
Save your money and buy a pack of gum, you’ll get more enjoyment!Show lessJimmyVrod
