Submitted by Frank Macey on
Apple first revealed HomeKit almost a year ago, giving both themselves and third-party manufacturers time to develop some interesting home automation products. One of the most straightforward yet essential HomeKit accessories is a power outlet. ConnectSense has entered the game with their Wi-Fi connected Smart Outlet. This dual-outlet plug works with iOS devices running iOS 8.1 or later. Let's take a closer look.
Submitted by Anders Batten on
HomeKit-enabled devices from Hunter Fan Company, iDevices and iHome are making a splash at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. All three companies have unveiled iOS-controlled home products such as ceiling fans and dimmer switches.
The Hunter Fan Company announced two Wi-Fi enabled fans named Symphony and Signal at CES 2016. iOS users can control Symphony and Signal with Siri or sync them to other HomeKit-enabled products to create "custom scenes." An example of a custom scene given by Hunter include automatically turning on the fan's light, locking your door and setting your temperature "in just one step."
Submitted by Anders Batten on
Update: Apple has just told The Wall Street Journal that "HomeKit-enabled smart-home devices are coming out next month," refuting Fortune's report below.
There hasn't been a lot of talk about Apple's home automation platform, HomeKit, mostly because there have been lots of other products to keep Apple fans busy. The Siri-controlled feature was originally announced during last year's Worldwide Developer Conference, but not many details were revealed. Rumors suggested that the platform would launch in May or June, but now sources have told Fortune that the release has been pushed back until to late August or September.
