Over the years custom apps have been developed to fill gaps in the native apps. Sonos being a really good example to highlight. The current status of Sonos Advanced Controller is questionable.
Problem - native apps have gaps being filled by custom apps. These custom apps often get abandoned or not updated at Hubitat is updated.
Proposal - Begin the process of updating native apps filling the gaps that custom apps have filled.
Being new (again) to Hubitat I was at a loss that native Sonos could not play favorites or toggle shuffle from a rule.
Staff do update features in built-in apps and have added new apps over time too (notable examples include integration with Apple Home, Matter, Shelly, there are others). Sometimes they do incorporate user-built apps into the platform (e.g. Kasa or WebCoRE).
Perhaps you mean that you’d like to begin the process of soliciting user feedback on what kinds of built-in app feature updates would be highly desirable vs. unpopular/edge cases only?
While there are custom apps that have languished for updates as developers have moved on to other things, many of the more popular apps have active developers that keep them updated, not just for bug fixes, but also to improve them or add features.
Do you have Package Manager installed? That is the easiest way to find if custom apps you have installed have been updated, and also perform the update.
Many apps just do what they do, and they do not necessarily need any updates. When updates are needed because something broke, people usually go the [RELEASE] post for the app and post there so the developer can see it, and possibly update the app.
This is pretty much the same with HA and their community HACS. I think we should just be happy we can even install community content, and that we don't live in a walled garden where only approved apps can be installed on the system.
Hey mark, long time. No this is more a call to gather input to then push to Hubitat team for feature updates of Native apps. We can't do anything other than bubble things up and hope and wait.
I just got a new C8-Pro to play with and was a little put off that the native Sonos app doesn't have shuffle function nor ability to play favorites. I had to then search and install a custom user app to get this basic functionality. Then I see errors in my logs from the custom app and I look and the dev hasn't posted anything in the Sonos thread in a while leading to a question of viability. This leads me to.. ok so I'll look at the code and fix... but I bought a product with a native app that should have basic functionality which is doesn't.
I can easily see a new Hubitat user asking "why would I migrate to something "new" that doesn't have "old" capabilities?" I'm asking the same question but I knew what I was getting into. Yet I didn't even think about the lack of basic Sonos functionality being a current issue I would run into.
I think (not often) it might be good to start giving some love to some of the older native apps.
Agreed, a lot of the Native apps/integrations seem to fall into abandonware.
They have done some refreshes though, Hue got a big overhaul not that long ago.
The Google integration got a bunch of updates maybe a year ago.
UniFi got a new integration rolled out.
So there is effort being made, but I also feel like a lot of things get rolled out to "check the box" and then are never pushed any further.
They probably need more on staff developers to keep up with all the different apps.
I think there are many custom apps that are better than the built-in apps. Development resources are always limited. The gap that is being filled by custom apps is letting Hubitat developers work on other things (like new apps and drivers), and to focus on the hub itself.
I use very few built-in apps, and over time I've even replaced built-in drivers with many community drivers, that just work better or have more features.
I agree, some built-in apps and drivers could use improvement, but with a community that just keeps delivering, I just don't see this as an issue.
No, the new API had been out for some time, and the old one is still around. No changes were necessary, and the older integration would still work (aside from the fact that the Bridge Pro only works with HTTPS, an easy solution for either API version). This is an example of something that was done due to requests.
For Sonos, is there an officially supported local API with these features? I don't think they have any official local APP at all, and the basic functionality the built-in driver offers and (not sure sure "favorites" is on the same level ) uses reverse-engineered pieces of a seemingly simple UPnP interface all their hardware to date seems to offer -- but there could be good reasons for not wanting to dig to deep into that.
And Hue, as I mentioned, is an example of one where this happened. along with new ones others mentioned. I shared my thoughts on Sonos above -- which it seems like is your main concern -- and a quick search appears that my hunches were correct, but more information is certainly welcome if anyone knows. Is there anything else you are looking for in any particular built-in integration app? Staff can do something with specific ideas ... if the possibility exists on the manufacturer side.
We just had a discussion of this very topic / Hubitat priorities in the past week or two. Bobby laid out overall priorities (including native app/driver specific approach). It is a bit buried in another topic related to the new Inovelli mmWave switches and related built-in and community drivers for them.
Yes, the Ecobee app. Please add "thermostat as a sensor." for temperature. The built-in app enables temperature from remote sensors but temperature at the thermostat is the average of all sensors. The community app which is enormously capable exposes the real thermostat temp attribute.
Am I wrong to observe that Hubitat Package Manager (HPM) is itself a community app? I've no clue whether it's maintained, or could be (like Hue and Webcore) made "native" since HPM is so widely used as the de facto app installer.
Is that part of the OP ask? Bringing the most popular custom apps into the fold?
IRONY - Came here today to check whether Life360+ location app is still viable.
It was updated ~16 days ago You can follow the thread if you would like to stay informed about its continued maintenance. Also in the HPM settings, it can notify you when there are updates.
Not really, no. I was talking with Bobby earlier in the day and it was decided to pose the issue/question to the community to get some feedback and (to ruin @mike.maxwell night) HI MIKE! hopefully not ruining your night yet
If you were to stick with "Would be nice to shuffle or play Sonos favorites" from the build in integration, I think you would have been fine But you're rocking
Totally agree. Apps/drivers get released as minimum viable product and there's not an evident process to revise/improve. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Creates lots of opportunities for frustration.
) uses reverse-engineered pieces of a seemingly simple UPnP interface all their hardware to date seems to offer -- but there could be good reasons for not wanting to dig to deep into that.
You can follow the thread if you would like to stay informed about its continued maintenance. Also in the HPM settings, it can notify you when there are updates.
But you're rocking 
