After watching Google acquire Nest Labs for $3.2 billion, Apple is striking back with a smart home product of their own. According to the Financial Times, Apple will be unleashing a smart home system that could be run completely from your iPhone at the Worldwide Developers Conference next month.
The system will allow users to control their lights, appliances, and security systems right from their iOS device. This system is allegedly set up to work with some existing “smart home” devices, though it is unknown what other companies those might be. Considering Apple’s recent purchase of Beats, we could see Apple acquire an appliance or security giant to operate as the back end for this system.
Little is known about Apple’s take on a smart home thus far, though it seems to have been in the works for several years. Apple began filing applicable patents in 2012, so whatever this system will be, they’ve had several years to perfect it.