Apple's smart home "virtual room" may be a good idea

Last year, since Apple announced his smart home's Homekit concept, he has almost never talked about how this will lead to iPhone and other Apple products.However, an app with a "virtual room" function seems to be under development.This can be said to be an easy -to -understand metaphor in grasping smart homes.

According to 9TO5MAC, Apple's approach is to release a "home" app that manages smart home gadgets (for example, smart locks, sensors, open / close garage doors, thermometers, cameras, etc.).Home apps are to place jets in a virtual room for each function or deployment site.

The purpose is to search, add, and operate smart devices and appliances of complicated Apple and other companies.

Speaking of smart homes, it is usually easy to collect gadgets from various manufacturers, which need to recognize each other through control hubs and exchange information.Intuitive means of making users intuitively grasp what they do is high in this industry.

The following will be assumed.

Homekit and things related to it

In smart home systems and interfaces, the new Samsung SMARTTHINGS department is still trying to make a high -performance mobile app simple for users.Now, Revolv, which was absorbed in Google's NEST department, was once a symbolic connection with the device.

Apple's app may be even easier.The app with the icon of the house on the background of the dark yellow seems to be connected to the Apple TV and used as a hub or system control center.According to Apple's blog, the functions are limited to basic, but there are still a big question about whether it works well.Only Apple employees can try this.

I don't know if it will be called by the name of the "Home" app when making a debut (probably with iOS 9), but this seems to be something that Apple is trying to introduce in this month's WWDC keynote speech.But it is a story if the app can be put out in public, and it is nothing to say so far.

As mentioned in 9to5mac, the app may still be too unfinished at this time.Even if there is no such thing, it will still move in the development and test environment inside Apple.

As the latter case, the user may be able to use a third -party app on Apple Smart Home through Siri's audio assistant.The key point is that you can operate the home appliance through voice on your iPhone, Apple Watch, or Apple TV.

Introduction to the house

Either way, Apple has to decide on a way to go early.Homekit framework was announced last year, but since then, the momentum that can be placed in this field has been lost.Apple announced that the first gadget to support Homekit will debut this month, but the rumor that the plan will be delayed will rush to Apple.

And after the app comes out, the user needs something to be managed using it.Otherwise, Apple will not bite into this complicated smart home industry.

In this field, it is simple to accept smart homes to a wider layer.Of course, it must be excellent as a thing."It's as terrible as Apple Map" If you put out Homekit in the world, you may not be able to see it.The terrible user experience will give up even an Apple believer, the idea of "who can make a decent thing even though Apple could not make a decent thing."

If Apple will release a new home app in the near future, and it will be successful, it will be a great help for newcomers to understand why smart gadgets are introduced at home.In that sense, I can imagine that the smart home industry is looking forward to holding the WWDC.It will be clear this month whether expectations will change into disappointment.

Image provision: Apple, CaptureD by Readwrite

Adriana Lee [Original text]

* This article is reprinted from Readwrite Japan.Click here for the reprinting source.