If there is one thing that Somfy has been accused of for a very long time, it was its lack of openness. Lack of openness on its proprietary protocol, used by a very closed group of manufacturers. Lack of openness also to the outside world, as the solution cannot be integrated with other external equipment. A first step was made by adding support for the Zwave and EnOcean protocols, but it must be admitted that this was anecdotal, given the very limited number of devices supported. Where many users shouted at the lack of openness, Somfy responded "safety". But this was before.

Somfy made several important announcements at the IFA in Berlin at the beginning of the month, all represented by the slogan "So Open" on the stand:

Somfy had recently started this process, adding the connected Philips Hue lights in particular. This summer, it was the turn of the Somfy Protect range (formerly MyFox) to become compatible with Tahoma (see our article here). Continuing this trend, she will see the arrival of Sonos speaker support by this fall, so she can manage her multi-room system according to events in the house, for example.

Tahoma will also be compatible with Atlantic products without the need for an additional gateway. Combining heating management with motorised shutters and blinds will improve the energy performance of the home and strike the right balance between comfort and energy savings. From the Tahoma application, the user will be able to check and control his Atlantic heating equipment (temperature and modes) from home or remotely, and add it in scenarios to adapt it to his life rhythm.

Another important addition is IFTTT compatibility. Yes, the famous service that interconnects countless connected devices and services will very soon host a Somfy channel. It will thus be possible to control other external devices via a scenario on the Tahoma, for example to control a Nest thermostat or to trigger the recording of Arlo cameras. Conversely, it will be possible to trigger actions on Somfy's box. The use of a Cloud gateway such as IFTTT is not yet ideal for everyone, but it will nevertheless greatly expand the possibilities of the solution compared to what was possible until now, since IFTTT offers no less than 510 different services.

Finally, the last point about this opening: Amazon Alexa compatibility. Somfy's home automation solution is now compatible with Amazon's voice assistant. We haven't been able to know when it will be available in France, but it's only a matter of time. Google Home support is of course in the pipes and will arrive soon. Good news, this one is already available in French.

But Somfy had not only come with news about the software. The automation specialist has unveiled the Somfy Climate initiative, which aims to contribute to the improvement of living spaces and the essential needs of residents:

The energy bill (more than 1500€ / year / household on average) is now the first expense of households and is becoming a societal issue. The window is a major source of natural energy supply. Therefore, the combination of this contribution and that of the heating system will make it possible to optimise both the comfort and the energy efficiency of the building even better.

A healthy building and controlled indoor air quality contribute to the improvement of the health and well-being of the inhabitants. Optimized opening management combined with thermal regulation also contributes to the quality of the indoor environment.

It is with this in mind that Somfy has announced the launch of its connected thermostat, which can be seen at the very bottom of the previous photo. A thermostat that has a very discreet look, without a screen, but which will display by illumination the necessary information when touched. The device is designed to be discreet, intelligent, easy to use, and versatile. Versatile because it can be used as a stand-alone device, without the need for a home automation box. A thermostat that is installed, and that can be controlled simply using the associated mobile application. But if desired, it can also be integrated into the Somfy ecosystem, for example to automatically switch the heating to eco mode when the alarm is activated, or to manage the motorised window equipment (shutters and blinds) to better insulate the house while benefiting from solar gains. I will talk about it in more detail very soon, since it is already being tested at home.

This thermostat is the result of a long research process, since it has an algorithm that optimizes energy consumption while providing the necessary comfort. Thus, after about 3 weeks of use, he will be able to update his program by himself taking into account the history, for example to take into account the heating time of the house. This thermostat will be available this month for 169€. Note that APIs will be available for all partners who wish to integrate this thermostat into their home automation ecosystem. I told you: Somfy opens up!

It was also possible to see two new products on the stand, which are also part of this Somfy Climate initiative. A "proof of concept" of the combination of this thermostat and air quality sensors allowing automatic opening and closing of windows for better regulation of the indoor environment. However, it will take time to get them, since they were only prototypes for the time being.

Finally, Somfy presented new products linked to its connected lock that make it possible to do without metal keys completely by simplifying and securing access to one's home. With a new Somfy Keys application and a new badge reader including a connected digicode, Somfy wants to facilitate access to its home while improving security. Here again, I will tell you more about it in more detail very soon: p

The Somfy Keys application is a real digital keychain that allows you to create, delete and manage access to your home, thanks to a tool that we all have: the smartphone. This makes it the only interface of the connected lock. From the application, the user is guided step by step through the installation and configuration of his products. He can create a set of digital keys and assign it to anyone he wants, by setting the access conditions (day, hours). Any creation and/or modification is active in the second, wherever the user is, even if he is on the other side of the world. The owner receives real-time notifications and can therefore know who is accessing his home. Of course, security remains crucial: digital key sharing with Somfy Keys is therefore done via an encoding system based on the AES 256 protocol. For added security, access to the application can also be locked with a PIN code or fingerprint.

The new reader with digicode is there to make life as easy as possible for users. Combining an RFID reader and a digital code, this new product allows you to go home without a key, smartphone or even a badge. The user will only have to enter a code and/or present an RFID badge that will be detected and trigger the activation of the automatically connected lock. The keys of the digicode are even phosphorescent, so you can easily dial your code, even at night. Note that this detector is very easy to install, since it works with 3 AAA batteries (autonomy about one year). Waterproof, it can be placed anywhere.

This year, as you will have seen from the articles I wrote for Domadoo on the IFA, the trend was rather calm: no big "Wow" ad, so much so that we had the impression that manufacturers were stalling a little on their achievements or no longer knew how to innovate. Somfy is one of the few manufacturers to have done well at this Berlin show, and I must say, THE pleasant surprise of this show.