Smart Home: openHAB 4.2 brings clearer mobile notifications
The open source platform now relies on Google Firebase Messaging on iOS and Android. The release also includes 23 new add-ons for end devices.
(Image: Andrey Suslov/Shutterstock.com)
The openHAB community has released the regular summer version 4.2 of the open source platform for smart home control. The focus is on mobile notifications, which are more comprehensive and clearer in the current release.
The release also has a template for semantic smart home models on board. In addition, the latest LTS release Java 21 published in fall 2023 can now be used. It also continues to work with the previous LTS release Java 17 like its predecessors since version 4.0.
More overview on the smartphone
Notifications on iOS and Android have undergone a major overhaul. Under the hood, they now work with Google Firebase Messaging on both mobile operating systems, which, according to the blog post on the 4.2 release, both improves the reliability of push notifications from cloud services and simplifies the cross-platform expansion of functions.
Above the actual message, the displayed notification can now show an individual title instead of the standard text "openHAB". The software can also integrate images or short video clips that match the event.
(Image: openHAB)
There are also two new types of interaction. Firstly, actions can be defined when clicking on the notification, for example to display a page with additional information. Secondly, you can define up to three action buttons to trigger commands directly, for example to open the door or take a look at the camera on site.
Less clutter
The list of notifications should also be clearer in the current release. The client now groups all identical notifications together by default, and rules or actions can be used to remove notifications that have already been published if they are no longer relevant.
Anyone who creates openHAB scripts with JavaScript or JRuby will find additional APIs for the extended notifications.
The Android version now has the new notifications on board. There will soon be a completely revised version for iOS, as there were probably technical problems with the identifiers for the App Store. The previous app will continue to be available under openHAB V1, but will only receive security and critical bug fixes in future.
For the curious who don't want to wait for the new iOS app, it is available via TestFlight.
Templates for the smart home
Semantic Model Templates are also new and are intended to make it easier for newcomers to set up the semantic model for the smart home. Three basic templates form the basis, which users can supplement with suitable rooms and items.
(Image: openHAB)
The release also includes a revision of the add-on store and expands the add-on suggestions introduced in version 4.1. It is also worth noting that the UI for the settings for persisting data has its own persistence settings menu instead of being hidden under the add-ons as before.
With openHAB 4.2, new add-ons for 23 additional end devices will be released.
Further innovations, including for openHABian in conjunction with the Raspberry Pi and for writing rules with Blockly, can be found on the openHAB blog.
(rme)
