Open Source != Free. But with that said, Home Assistant is completely free to download and use. There is an add-on that simply makes it EASIER to use Alexa and/or Google Assistant. The add-on (Cloud) does not add functionality that is not already there. It only makes it easier. If that’s a problem, @Dixey, please feel free to not use it. There are costs that the devs pay out of pocket to support a project of this scale, but GOD FORBID they actually try to cover those costs!! “This is supposed to be OPEN SOURCE.” 
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Open - source; denoting software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified.
If you wish to make part of your “open - source” fee for use… kool… have at it… just be upfront about throwing the term open source around with your own definition.
I think the team are quite open about some of the cloud code being kept closed. However the cloud is not part of home assistant, and the fact that some of the cloud is not opened is irrelevant to home assistant’s openness.
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Your post is pretty much why I said this is a moot point. Everything can be done without the cloud. So why is this even a discussion? Just because people don’t want to pay? Ok. Don’t pay, use the 1030492038947283074 other ways to connect to Alexa.
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- Permissions. Using the same user and context features, we will also be able to limit access to entities to users.
This sounds exactly what I’m after, giving all users access to everything is not always the best idea!
I really like the idea of the Cloud and would love to support the developers, but in paying a monthly payment from the Australian Dollar, either by Credit Card or PayPal, the conversion rate to the US$ from the AU$ plus the transfer fee to exchange the currency would see it costing me approx $8-$9 per month. Setting up a yearly charge would definitely be better for OS members as it would mean that I would only pay one transfer fee of the same amount as I would pay monthly for the $5.
Thanks
Ian
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Are there any news on remote acces via Home Assistant cloud? Would love to use that, if it does not requier static IP (my provider uses cgnat).
Waiting for any info about that.
Thank you
An email came from Nabu Casa talking about the new cloud Webhooks and it mentioned remote access via the cloud as being the next thing to come and that they’re working on it… I’d imagine it’ll arrive in Q1
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Speaking about goals. Are not you going to make an android app and support ios app?
There is already an IOS app, and there are a couple of community Android apps.
Yes I know. Ios app is fine (we are just waiting for update woth “new” auth). Seems to me, it should be supported “from the top”.
And yeah, there are couple of andrid apps. And that is exactly why I write here. Should be only one, stable app with fresh updates (how I see)
That is why I think it should be supported from “main” developers
Problem is they cant support everything, Otherwise they would need a lot more full time devs and costs would increase. That’s why the support of the community is required to create extra value like IOS and Android apps
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What are you expecting from an Android app that isn’t already provided by the built in HTML5 app?
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Speed
Native notifications (not from pushbullet. I want to open notification and get to HA. And it is just not elegant to get notifications from other app).
Native locations
That is just what I know. It feels right to go on app, not on google chrome.
Sure, it requires time. And I am just asking about plans.
I didn’t see anything in the goals about IOS or android apps though. i think there are more important things first, remote access, user permissions etc for me are more important.
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What’s wrong with the speed of the HTML5 app?
HTML5 push notifications are the only ones I’ve ever used, and never noticed any major problems wit delays or otherwise. They just work.
Locations might be an issue. Fair enough. I’m sure if there’s enough demand then anything you start will get some help getting off the ground.
May be my android phone is not speedy by itself (I mainly use ios), but it is quite unpleasant to run Home Assistant. But I read topics on android app and devs say that it is a lot faster and smoother.
As I remember, html5 notifications require remote acces. I do not have now, because cgnat does not let me use duckdns anymore.
And ios app does not care if you are home or not. I am getting noticfications and it is pretty noce for safty.
On Android, when you go to your HA instance on chrome one time, it prompts you to add it to the home screen. If you do so, it is forever “an app” in your app drawer, and when you launch it, you don’t see Chrome.
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It’s too slow