Apple Just Made Smart Home Shopping Incredibly Easy

The ability to close your garage door or switch off your lights with your iPhone is an awesome one. So is the ability to set your thermostat, lock your doors, and see who is ringing your doorbell. All of this smart technology is readily available to us today and there is a burgeoning market it. The market can be intimidating, and with so many choices available to users, it can be hard to sort through all of the options, keeping quality and compatibility in mind.

Luckily for iOS users, Apple has created a software framework for communicating and controlling connected home devices, called HomeKit. HomeKit was released alongside iOS 8, and users can be sure that HomeKit compatible devices will work with their iPhones and iPads, and will be held up to the usual quality standards that Apple strives for in compatible devices. Now Apple has made shopping for HomeKit compatible devices even easier. The company recently updated their list of HomeKit-compatible devices, making it much more convenient for shoppers.

First spotted by 9to5Mac, the updated list sorts each product by category as opposed to by brand – lights, switches, outlets, thermostats, windows, fans, air conditioners, sensors, security, locks, cameras, doorbells, garage doors, bridges, and range extenders are all available. The list also lets users know whether each item has been “announced”, is “coming soon”, or is currently available. Items that are already on the market even contain direct links to the item for further information or for purchase.

Apple’s new HomeKit accessory list that “keeps getting smarter” includes, near the bottom of the page, participating builders that offer HomeKit packages for those who are interested in building a new, HomeKit-compatible home. The new list was released shortly after Apple updated their HomeKit page, which features a 45-second ad showcasing some of HomeKit’s latest features, and exactly how a house with HomeKit-compatible devices can operate.

Apple will reportedly keep the new HomeKit-compatible devices list updated frequently, making it easier than ever to put together a fully functional and fully compatible smart house.

Want a FREE iPhone 7? Click here to enter our monthly contest for a chance!
Follow us on Apple News by pressing the (+) button at the top of our channel

from http://ift.tt/2mDs1P1
via IFTTT