Home Kit by Apple – WWDC 14 – Internet of Things closer

Home Kit by Apple – WWDC 14 – Internet of Things closer

Posted by: Oliver Berger in Apps, Home Automation, HomeKit, News 11,378 Comments

Home Kit

Today apple announced Home Kit, a common network framework that will control various home automation features. Domobot already speculated how ios8 and the smart home would come together.

What is Home Kit?

Put simply, Apple will make it far easier for app developers to build applications that will speak to elements of the home and for a user to interact with these elements from their Apple device.. iPhone, iPad, Apple Mac.

Tim Cook already suggested that the devices that are controllable will include “locks, lights, cameras, doors, thermostats, plugs & switches”, although the list is endless and could grow to include any conceivable piece of electronic equipment around the home – including kitchen & bathroom gadgets.

WWDC2014-577 Homekit slide

Home Kit with Siri

Tim Cook also announced Siri integration, meaning you can control the whole home hands free, telling every device what to do with the simplest of commands.

Home Kit and the Smart Home

Imagine this: you’re on the road for a days work, its 430pm and the day is drawing to a close. You open Siri on your Apple CarPlay – “Siri, turn on the oven, 220 degrees”. An hour later as you make your way home “Siri, thermostat, 21 degrees”.

You pull up to the house and park your car in the driveway. As you approach the front door, it opens automatically, iBeacon talks to the lock on your front door so it knows to let you in.

As you enter through the door, your favourite album starts to play..”Mmm, roast, and the house is a great temperature, i wonder where the cat is though?”. You turn on appleTV, its connected, through Home Kit to a little device on Mitten’s collar and within seconds, it senses where in the house she is and shows you through your connected security cam.

Moggy, on the other hand, is a bit more of an explorer. He’s unlocked the catflap, using the same technology that let you into the house, and strayed a few blocks away. No worries though, Apple Maps has located him.. he’ll smell the roast and be back soon for dinner no doubt.