Apple is reportedly planning to transform the face of the burgeoning smart home industry with a smart home platform that lets you use your iPhone as a remote control for various appliances.
A report by the Financial Times says that Apple is building a new software platform that will allow you to adjust heating and cooling systems, turn the lights on or off and control any Internet-connected home appliance using your iPhone as a central remote control system. The report also says that Apple is developing a product certification program where the iPhone maker hopes to work with third-party home products manufacturers to build appliances that are compatible with its software platform.
"The scheme will be similar to Apple's 'Made for iPhone' label, given to compatible headphones, speakers and other accessories, but with a new brand and logo. Apple may also provide additional checks and assurances that certified products are not vulnerable to hackers," writes [registration required] the Financial Times.
The report also cites a person familiar with the matter that Apple is likely to highlight privacy protection as a central theme in its smart home system. This, Apple hopes, will give it major advantage over Google, which entered the smart home industry a few months back when it purchased smart thermostat maker Nest Labs for $3.2 billion. Google is widely known to rely hugely on advertising as its source of income. Given increasing concern about companies' access to customer information and the Snowden leaks on government surveillance, Apple's emphasis on privacy-protected smart home systems could very well give it a big niche in the smart home market.
Apple's massive market share in the smartphone market will also likely give it another vantage point. In the U.S., the number of iPhone users continues to rise from 17.5 million in 2010 to 63.2 million in 2014, based on a report by Statista. With a huge user base, Apple has the power to compel appliance makers to adopt its smart home platform and come up with products that will pass Apple's product certification rules.
It is not yet clear how Apple plans to implement its rumored platform on the iPhone. The report also did not mention if the software will run only on the upcoming iPhone 6 or if it will be compatible with older devices, and if Apple has already forged partnerships with manufacturers. A number of appliances, however, already have their own remote control apps for iOS, such as the Philips Hue LED lighting system, Google's Nest Learning Thermostat and Kwikset's Bluetooth-powered Kevo door lock.
Apple declined to comment, but the platform is expected to be unveiled next month at Apple's WWDC.
