A report from the usually reliable 9to5Mac says a bunch of accessories are going to be announced next week, with five companies ready to make their move into smart-home technology that works with Apple devices. We saw a few products previewed at CES in January, including power devices and locks that could be controlled by Siri. Back then, spring was given as an estimate for these products reaching the market.
Apple has continued to insist that HomeKit development is running on schedule, and when it does arrive we’re expecting the Apple Watch to be an integral part of the whole experience: Tap your watch to control the lights, the heating, and so on. There’s also been speculation that an updated Apple TV will act as the central hub for all things HomeKit.
If we do get some new bits of kit next week, it will be just in time for WWDC 2015, which starts on June 8. It’s likely that Apple is going to have much more to say about HomeKit then, and we’re also expecting updates covering iOS 9 and potentially a new Google Now competitor.
With Google introducing its own platform for the Internet of Things at Google I/O 2015, and Samsung busy working on its own initiatives, Apple needs to get HomeKit moving sooner rather than later. As soon as anything new is announced we’ll bring you news of it — and we will of course be covering WWDC as it happens.
