HomeKit is evolving.
On Monday, Apple announced several changes to its connected-home platform. The next version of HomeKit, which will correspond with the launch of iOS 9 this fall, will add support for motorized window shades and a raft of new sensor classes, including motion and carbon-monoxide detectors.
HomeKit already supports a limited number of thermostats, along with lighting controls from Lutron and Insteon. While Apple didn’t release any specifics, it indicated that the next version of HomeKit would work with home security devices such as those manufactured by outfits like ADT and Vivint.
Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, offered the following during Monday’s WWDC keynote.
iOS 9 will enable you to securely access your HomeKit-controlled home via iCloud, though it’s unclear at this point what hardware you’ll be connecting to—whether that will be a central hub or directly to individual devices in the home. There was no mention of Apple TV as a HomeKit hub or otherwise today’s keynote. The next version of watchOS, also expected this fall, will also gain some HomeKit features. HomeKit will be native to WatchOS 2.0 and will enable you to control scenes and devices directly from the watch, using the touchscreen or by issuing commands to Siri.
We’ll have additional HomeKit details as they become available.
Via Macworld