Chamberlain opens MyQ smart garage doors to Comcast integration
Chamberlain shares the keys to its smart garage door openers with Comcast's Xfinity Home security app.
Knowing and controlling the status of your garage door is a huge part of enjoying a secure smart home. Chamberlain, maker of the MyQ Garage and Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener products, agrees and has just pledged to play nice with the Comcast Xfinity home security system.
According to both companies, customers will soon be able to command MyQ-equipped garage doors from within the Xfinity Home mobile application. Likewise, homeowners who subscribe to Comcast's Xfinity service and also have a MyQ-compatible Chamberlain device will receive timely notifications when their garage door opens and closes.
This game plan isn't new for third-party smart-home device makers, of course. Nest Labs, creator of the popular Nest Learning Thermostat and owned by Google, has a similar partnership with home security giant ADT.
Chamberlain already offers a homegrown MyQ mobile app for iOS and Android as well, which provides a similar level of remote garage access and awareness. The company also lets you link its MyQ devices with the Google Nest app and Apple HomeKit products.
What remains to be seen, however, is just how deep this new integration with Comcast Xfinity Home will go. Based on today's announcement it appears the collaboration is all one way and in Comcast's favor. For instance while you can see what your MyQ openers are up to within the Xfinity Home app, the reverse isn't the case regarding Xfinity gadgets.
And outside of standard text and email messages, Comcast confirmed the Xfinity Home application won't provide push notifications generated from within the app itself -- a skill the MyQ app has in its toolbelt. Comcast does expect to bring support for Chamberlain MyQ to Xfinity Home by the end of September and does have "future plans to include push alerts".
Regardless, it's rare for a massive infrastructure company such as Comcast to let third-party hardware on board its usually completely closed systems. A welcome change -- hopefully we'll see more cooperation from interested smart-home players going forward.