With HomeKit-compatible accessories finally hitting the market, Apple has added new capabilities to its home automation platform in iOS 9 to make smart bulbs, locks, and garage door openers easier to manage and more powerful — including the ability to define IFTTT-style event chains with new Event Triggers.
The slow trickle of HomeKit-compatible accessories is reportedly linked to a high level of encryption mandated by Apple, said to be generating unusuable levels of lag in prototype Bluetooth products.
According to a report on Monday, the slow pace at which devices compatible with Apple's HomeKit are trickling in can be attributed to last-minute security changes, including a modified hardware certification process and tweaks to the networking ecosystem.
Apple online and brick-and-mortar stores on Tuesday will start selling ecobee3, the first Internet-connected thermostat compatible with Apple's iOS-based HomeKit framework.
One of the first Apple HomeKit-compatible products on the market is the Lutron Wireless lineup. AppleInsider was given the opportunity to test out its new smart lighting dimmer, and we found that while HomeKit shows plenty of promise, our initial experiences show there's still a lot of work to be done.
At is annual World Wide Developers Conference on Monday, Apple announced a host of new technologies designed to help developers offer improved user experiences over the entire Apple product line.
Philips on Monday announced that its Hue intelligent lighting ecosystem will be compatible with Apple's HomeKit smart home platform starting this fall.
This week saw a flurry of last-minute rumors emerge about Apple's planned WWDC 2015 announcements — including streaming music, and the absence of highly-anticipated TV offerings.
A new support page published to Apple's website details how to setup and use HomeKit, and explains how the Apple TV is used as a hub for remotely controlling HomeKit accessories while on the go.
With the first round of HomeKit-enabled devices beginning to arrive, Apple's plans for its new home automation framework have become clearer, including the important role that the Apple TV will play for HomeKit users.
Just under one year after HomeKit was announced and less than a week before Apple's midsummer developers conference, the first devices certified for compatibility with the iPhone maker's new home automation framework have begun to hit shelves from companies like Insteon, Lutron, and iHome.
Apple on Thursday refuted claims that software issues have forced the company to push back its HomeKit Internet of Things initiative, saying the first compatible devices are on schedule to launch in June.
Apple is reportedly facing technological issues with HomeKit, the company's forthcoming smart home platform designed to act a central hub for iOS-connected products like light bulbs and door locks, that have forced a re-evaluation of the platform's launch timeline.
Broadcom on Tuesday announced that the software development kit for its Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices (WICED) platform has been fully vetted by Apple for use with the HomeKit framework, paving the way for wider adoption of the iOS-connected Internet of Things protocol.
General Electric on Monday announced plans for a new color-changing LED light bulb, due to ship sometime later this year, that will come out of the box with support for Apple's HomeKit system.
Marvell announced that it is the first silicon vendor to release a complete software development kit (SDK) for Apple's HomeKit, which it has paired with its controller and wireless components, noting that several manufacturers are already using its products to develop new HomeKit accessories.
Manufacturers of "connected home" devices that wish to integrate with HomeKit reportedly could not begin seeking certification for those products under Apple's MFi program until November, some six months after the initiative was announced.
CES is a weird and wonderful collection of products made by major manufacturers to the smallest of companies and even crowdfunded startups. The things you see might never come to market, but the tech presented serves as a good barometer for the year to come.
Owners of the Yves Behar-designed August Smart Lock now have the option to control the device from their iPhone even when they're out of the house thanks to the new August Connect accessory announced by the company at this week's Consumer Electronics Show.
During Samsung's keynote presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show on Monday, co-CEO B.K. Yoon advocated for an open, industry-wide "Internet of things" push, revealing plans to build in connected device capabilities across its entire product line within five years.
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AppleInsider Staff
Roger Fingas
Mikey Campbell
Victor Marks
Jonathan Lace
Neil Hughes
Sam Oliver
Daniel Eran Dilger
