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Apple’s planned iOS 9 ‘Home’ app uses virtual rooms to manage HomeKit accessories

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Apple’s plan to manage upcoming HomeKit-compatible accessories could revolve around a new iOS app called “Home,” according to sources familiar with the app. Introduced at last year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, HomeKit is an Apple initiative designed to encourage accessory makers to integrate “connected home” accessories such as Wi-Fi garage door openers, smart thermostats akin to Nest’s Learning Thermostat, and wireless door locks with iPhones and iPads. Using Siri or the Home app, users will be able to remotely control parts of their homes directly from iOS devices…

While HomeKit’s capabilities are interesting in theory, they have only been modestly demonstrated due to ongoing development delays, reportedly including HomeKit-specific code that will be embedded in new accessories. But according to a source, Apple has quietly continued to work on the HomeKit framework and Home app, which could shown alongside iOS 9 at WWDC. The Home application is currently represented by a “house” glyph atop a dark yellow background, and is said to be “fairly basic” in its functionality, including:

  • Wirelessly discovering and setting up compatible HomeKit devices
  • Creating a virtual representation of rooms in the home to easily organize and connect HomeKit devices
  • Utilizing the Apple TV as a hub connecting all of the HomeKit devices
  • Offering a series of screens to help users find new HomeKit devices and apps

Just as Apple’s HealthKit framework worked with the Health app to create a signature new iOS 8 feature, HomeKit will rely in part upon the Home app to securely manage a connected home full of accessories and data. Indeed, a major HomeKit manufacturer has told us that its accessories do not have a release date, as “our launch timing is greatly dependent on Apple’s launch.”

While the new Home app is currently embedded in iOS 9 builds for Apple employees, sources have warned that the Home app’s currently minimal functionality may indicate that it is not ready to show to the public, and so it remains unclear whether it will be announced at WWDC in June. It is also possible that the new Home app could remain solely for internal usage and Apple could push for customers to control their HomeKit devices solely via Siri and accompanying App Store apps.

Nonetheless, in response to rumors claiming a HomeKit launch delay until the fall, Apple did confirm that HomeKit accessory announcements would be made in June. “[We] already have dozens of partners who have committed to bringing HomeKit accessories to market,” Apple said, “and we’re looking forward to the first ones coming next month.” Sources have previously indicated that Apple is also working on its own in-house HomeKit hardware, but no launch timetable has been provided.

Image via Getty Images

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Comments

  1. nono68200 - 9 years ago

    Will be Apple TV 3rd generation available for HomeKit?… Or just the next Apple TV? I remember Apple said current generation will be compatible, but I’m not sure.

  2. I totally get the Google connection but I really wish Nest would take advantage of HomeKit. Maybe in time but definitely not at launch.

  3. Jonny - 9 years ago

    I remember reading someone’s interpretation of the developer guides for how HomeKit (at a high level) will work. Seemed like it would be a lot of fun to use provided you have a variety of supported hardware in your home.

  4. Milorad Ivović - 9 years ago

    This is really exciting. I wonder how they’re going to implement the floorplan. Gyroscope and location services including BTLE, might be enough to do a decent representation of room shape, and relation to other rooms, by walking your phone around the walls.

    There are a couple of floor plan apps in the store, which use the gyroscope in conjunction with the camera to lay out a room fairly well.

    • Gazoo Bee - 9 years ago

      The article says “virtual” rooms, which suggests that mapping the real architecture of the rooms has little or nothing to do with it.

      • Milorad Ivović - 9 years ago

        Sometimes your English comprehension is laughable. Oddly it happens most often when you attempt to correct others. The term “virtual room” carries no implication one way or another as to whether it will proportionately represent a real room or not. A representation of a room must be virtual, by definition. Otherwise it would be a real room you could actually walk into.

        Within the context of home automation though — it’s a leaves a lot to be desired, if these “virtual rooms” do not at least roughly match the shape and appearance of their actual counterparts. Positioning devices in completely unrepresentative rooms, does not provide a visual interface cue.

        If the lamp in the corner of your L-shaped room, isn’t adequately positionally represented then it may as well just be a list, as opposed to a virtual room.

        There’s nothing virtual-room-ish about a list, so the source may be exaggerating the reference, but there’s nothing at all wrong with my comment.

  5. Pjlyons (@pjlyons1) - 9 years ago

    I wish they would get on with it. The current maketplace for connected devices is a mess. Half a dozen competitng stadards, firguring out which devices talk to what controllers is depressing.

    • Gazoo Bee - 9 years ago

      I agree. I’ve been waiting to buy a new lock for my door and some connected lightbulbs, but the product selection is not only dismal, it’s old, with most popular choices having been on the market for a year or two already.

      I have the feeling that the companies that make such items are waiting on Apple to release new gear. At least I hope so. I really wish someone besides Philips would make controllable lighting too. Their stuff is awful for my purposes.

      • I’m personally waiting for Apple to give 3rd party developers an NFC API, so products will be encouraged to include it. Bluetooth is too finicky for some things, I feel.

  6. kadajsouba - 9 years ago

    Oh god more preloaded apps. This is getting ridiculous. Even if you won’t be able to see it, it’ll be there, using space.

  7. irelandjnr - 9 years ago

    I’d love Apple to develop home-kit hardware like light bulbs and locks that we’re plug and play. Especially light bulbs. Everything else on the market at this point is far too fiddly with shoddy hubs and crappy software. Apple, give us simple plug-and-play light bulbs that you can simply pop in and away you go and give us perhaps a Beats-bulb that is plug and play as above but is also a speaker. That would be rad.

  8. Smigit - 9 years ago

    I imagine they will need an app. Apple’s fairly conscious of offering accessibility options. Having an app could really help some people with physical disabilities control things in their house through smart appliances. From that end, Home Kit could be fantastic for those users. Without an app however anyone with a speech impediment could be ruled out from interfacing with it. Then there’s scenarios where you just don’t want to rely on speech, possibly to trigger something while people are sleeping and other situations that call for quiet.

    That and I’m sure it’ll make setting up activities a lot easier, such as grouping multiple devices from different manufacturers into a single voice trigger. Kind of what the Logitech Harmony does with a home theatre system. Being able to define activities would be powerful, but might be cumbersome without an application to do it.

    The alternative is vendor specific apps…but that’d get cumbersome if you have things from multiple vendors.

  9. charilaosmulder - 9 years ago

    Hope they integrate the Remote app functionality (controlling iTunes libraries and AppleTV) into the new Home app. That would prevent yet another new app icon.

  10. David Walker (@semiDave) - 9 years ago

    They should link with “Wink” and other home kits… It would be crazy to try and setup a connection with every thing and even more of a pain when they cannot keep up with new items and making them all work. Let the other guys do the leg work and Apple handle the software with a nicely done GUI.