I see discussions and excuses for why no App dating back to 2013. As a BlueSpray 24-zone controller user for over 2 years, I offer two objectives for 2019 that I am hopeful the BlueSpray leadership and development teams will embrace.
1) It is time to stop rationalizing why there is not a real App for iOS and Android, and move forward with developing one. This is a significant competitive disadvantage - more so in 2019 than it was in 2013. An App could make the login process far more practical on a small high-resolution screen, and it could provide for a far more intuitive user experience.
2) BlueSpray has to join the home automation party! While the API is published, which is very positive, there are few examples, and no certifications for integration with HomeSeer, HAI, Google Home, Alexa, etc. Competitors appear to recognize this gap, and either already support they technologies, or are actively working on them. From what I see on the BlueSprayCommunity Forum, this opportunity has been under review by marketing for in excess of two years.
If had I known the BlueSpray software would be as stagnated as it is, I would have gone for Irrigation Caddy, Rachio, Orbit B-Hyve, RainNet,or another without a doubt. I remember contacting support before I bought the controller, and questioned that time lapses between firmware updates. I was told this is because the product is so mature and trouble-free. Since I have owned the controller, there have been two firmware updates. While these improved the application, it is truly ridiculous to go a year or more between updates. There appears to be either a lack of commitment to being in this market, or a lack of vision for the product.
BlueSpray has some very likable qualities. Visually, the controller is so simple, and easy to set up. It has been very reliable.
The UI begs for several features: Login via an App, rather than some super miniature website on an iPhone. The map view is cool, but really hit or miss on screen refreshes, and non-existence in the mobile UI. There is no ability (that works reliably) to cancel an action, i.e. watering a zone, at least that provides an up-to-date screen view of what is going on. The log is unreliable and defaults to current day only, rather than last 24 hours, which would save a lot of screen taps. There are various other nuances that keep the app from being world-class, in its current form.
I previously used Irrigation Caddy, at a previous home with only 8 zones. If only that app worked with the BlueSpray hardware, what a combination that would be.
My hope for 2019 is that the product will evolve to include bonafide and certified integrations with Alexa, HomeSeer (which is what I use), IFTTT, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, and/or others. I own the controller, and want to keep using it, but it is falling way short of what it could do.
