APPLE IS READYING a move into the ‘internet of things’ as it prepares to enter the smart home market.
The company is said to be preparing a new software platform that would turn the iPhone into a remote control for lights, security systems and other household appliances, the Financial Times reports.
The move would place it in direct competition with Samsung, Google and LG who offer their own collection of smart devices designed for the home.
The integrated system will allow users to set up and control ‘smart home’ devices through their iPhone, and will be revealed at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) which is taking place next week in San Francisco.
Apple has been in discussion with a select group of device makers whose smart home products will be certified to work with its forthcoming new system. These products will be sold in its retail store, an area Apple hopes will play a key role in its plans to enter this market.
One of the major features the company will push is privacy, in light of users’ concerns about what information companies have access to. Apple may also provide additional checks and assurances that certified products are not vulnerable to hackers.
Apple already sell a number of smart home products in its store, including Nest thermostats in its US store, which was acquired by Google for $3.2 billion back in January, and Philips Hue smartbulbs.
However, the industry is still very much in its infancy with some people concerned about how much information companies would have on them if they used any of these products.
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