Nothing says cool more than a beautiful piece of hardware like the iPad Mini as a HomeKit command center. Having a dedicated device for displaying our lighting, heating/cooling and security status has been the greatest addition to our smart home, however, the problem I ran into were the kids finding and hiding the iPad when I needed it most. I decided it needed to be secured, or mounted somewhere centralized in the home.
It turns out there are many options for displaying an iPad in your home. From suction cup mounts to charging dock stands, almost any option provides style and function to your home. But I think the one method that is an absolute showstopper is in-wall mounting!
Wall mounts have been around since the original iPad and were mostly used as a way to control music or read recipes in a kitchen. They never appealed to me because there’s an issue with hanging charging cables. I think they look silly. In-wall mounting however, creates an opportunity for hiding that charging cable inside the wall. It looks so much more professional.
I got to hunting the internet for the perfect in-wall iPad Mini 4 mount. FYI: be sure the device you choose as your HomeKit command center can run iOS 9.0 or newer. Most of what I found protruded from the wall, others weren’t “clean” enough for my liking, but I eventually came across iWalldock and I’m convinced it’s the coolest product in the space.
iWalldock for iPad Mini 4
I was not paid or supplied free product for this review (although you will find Amazon affiliate links below). I simply believe the iWalldock is the most beautiful and simple product for mounting our HomeKit-enabled iPad Mini 4 inside our wall. iWalldock is an American company conceived by George Hires, a Professional Home Technology Integrator in the Seattle, WA area. He claims iWalldock offers the sleekest design and easiest installation that has no equal in the marketplace. Below are four reasons I believe he is right.
Semi-permanent or Removable
iWalldock comes in two functional designs: Fixed Mount or Simplidock. Fixed docks provide the most secure mounts, meaning the kids can’t remove it from the wall. The other option, Simplidock, provides the most flexible design where the iPad can be very easily removed to allow for couch time with your device. We chose the Fixed design…because kids.
Design Selection
The iWalldock comes in an array of color and material choices. There is an available mount for iPad Mini, iPad Air, and the iPad Pro. The iWalldock is available in white, black, gray, stainless steel, carbon fiber and more. The design is very sleek and modern.
Easy Installation
Installing the iWallDock is pretty simple once you’ve decided on the best location. Because the iWalldock is ultra-thin, you don’t need to worry about wall studs. Simply cut the drywall using the included template, attach the clamping brackets and tighten to the wall. The iPad can be inserted and used immediately. More instruction is included below.
Charging Ready
The iWalldock is designed with a cutout for an Apple charging cable to attach to the iPad, but still be hidden inside the wall. Because iPad utilizes low-voltage charging, you don’t need an electrician to provide power. I simply routed a 6′ Lightning cable down the inside wall and out through a pass-through plate. iWalldock sells a long-distance cable if needed for distances beyond 6 feet.
Installation
Plan Location
Planning is perhaps the most important part of the installation. You want your device in a centralized, high-traffic location, but still have nearby access to power. We chose a section of wall at the bottom of our staircase, the highest traffic area of our home. There is no power on this side of the wall, however, behind it is the laundry room with a power receptacle. You’ll want your command center at about light switch height. Always be mindful of power lines that could be running behind your wall and I suggest temporarily disabling power in this area until completion.
Cut Wall
The iWalldock comes with a cardboard template, not a useless flimsy paper template. Use it. Secure the template to the wall and carefully cut around it. Again, be careful of any power lines that might be running behind. If you find a stud in the middle of your hole, no worries because this might make your install even more secure.
Route Power
The most difficult step is running power from the iPad to a power receptacle. Apple does not recommend any charger cable longer than 6 feet, so if you need something longer, see the long-distance power cable I linked to above. Drop the charging cable down the inside wall and out the bottom through a low-voltage pass-through plate. I installed a power receptacle with USB ports so that I still had use of the receptacle. See photos below for reference.
Mount iPad
Mount the iWalldock to the wall with the included brackets or by securing directly to the stud. Attach the Lightning cable to the iPad and insert into the iWalldock. If using the Fixed design, the iPad will be very snug. There is an included suction cup to remove the iPad, but I highly suggest limiting how often you remove the iPad. Purchase the Simplidock if you need constant access to the iPad outside the command center.
An iPad installed with iWalldock is a very cool addition to your HomeKit arsenal. Our command center is always-on and running the Home app. Adjusting temps, checking door locks and shutting down kid bedroom lights has never been easier. Plus, we always have Siri listening for instructions or ready to play music through our attached Bluetooth speakers. Very cool. If you’ve got an extra iPad and you are fully invested in HomeKit, I highly suggest checking out iWalldock.com for your in-wall iPad mount needs.
