Source: Time
The upcoming iPhone update is exactly what the smart home needs
Imagine this: You’re just getting home from a long day at work. But instead of flipping a light switch or blasting the air conditioning, you reach for your iPhone and say, “Hey Siri, I’m home.” Suddenly, the lights turn on, the window shades begin to rise, and the temperature cools.
This is how Apple wants us to live in the not-too-distant future. The Cupertino, Calif. company took its first significant step in this direction in 2014 with the introduction of HomeKit, which lets users control Internet-connected appliances with their iPhones. But HomeKit has a significant drawback: It lacks a central hub for users with lots of different kinds of that equipment.
That will change when Apple releases iOS 10 this fall. Included in the new iPhone software will be an app called Home, which will function as a control center for smart home gear from lightbulbs to thermostats. This will be a welcome change from the current process of setting up HomeKit devices, which involves installing a new and often hard-to-use companion app for each individual product.
It’s a big step for Apple, and for smart home technology in general, which has been mostly the domain of tech-savvy early adopters. After a brief demo of the new Home app, it’s clear that Apple wants the app to be dead simple to use, with drag-and-drop functionality reminiscent of rearranging apps on your iPhone or iPad’s home screen.
Categories: Technology, The Muslim Times