Apple Hires Ex-Microsoft Exec to Revamp Smart Home Business

[cknibbs]

Not to mention you have to manually trigger shortcuts, either through Siri or the app. The main strategy in the smart home needs to be automation, where things happen on their own based on what you do, not what you say. This is where HomeKit is lacking the most.

It’s funny - I agree with the idea that the smart home needs to be based on what you do and not what you say, but that’s my favourite part about HomeKit - it workes extremely well. My Ecobee room sensors can trigger my Phillips Hue lights, and the amount of rule sets for custom automations are great. I think it’s one of the best features of HomeKit!

 

[pika2000]

In my opinion, Apple has already lost this race when they decided to stop developing wifi routers. They literally ceded this space to their competitors. Unless they make a mea culpa and bring back the Apple Airport line of products to support automated technologies, then they'll continue to lose in this space.

HomePod is ok for Apple finatics, but there's absolutely nothing compelling about Apple's in home offerings.

Siri is not even a contender for anything anymore. It's a complete embarrassment.

I concur on the router thing. I didnt really get why Apple exited the router market instead of doing a new Airport mesh system.

 

[KPandian1]

For me all smart locks have the same failing, they can all be opened from inside without using a key. I would like a smart lock that was like a deadbolt ( not latch ) that needs a key both sides to lock and unlock manually, yet can be operated like a smart lock. It would also need to be made out of quality metal not like some of these plastic toys.

Higher-end Medeco locks already have the inside thumb turn (the dead-bolt lever) that itself is a key and can be removed. This means only a key (regular or the thumb turn) can open the door from inside, addressing this "easy to open from inside" issue.

Wonder if people who have this have already lost three of them in a year.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Had to look them up. I've never heard of Assa Abloy. IMO, Apple should focus on polishing their services before attempting more home automation.


Or according to that one member from the other day, "What idiot buys all this smart home tech? It's all a fad, people."

To be honest Apple’s Home services are very polished!

ATV4, iPhone, Phillips LEDs, Cable internet works flawlessly!! I was very late to this and soon as I got it in Oct 2018 I thought where have I been lol.

Compared to Samsung GS8 + Alexa Dot + LED lights my friend has and took him more than 4wks just to get Alexa to turn On/OFF the lights. And it doesn’t work every time. Worse he can’t search YouTube using his Roku.

I think I’m doing very well in Apple’s ecosystem.

 

[0388631]

To be honest Apple’s Home services are very polished!

ATV4, iPhone, Phillips LEDs, Cable internet works flawlessly!! I was very late to this and soon as I got it in Oct 2018 I thought where have I been lol.

Compared to Samsung GS8 + Alexa Dot + LED lights my friend has and took him more than 4wks just to get Alexa to turn On/OFF the lights. And it doesn’t work every time. Worse he can’t search YouTube using his Roku.

I think I’m doing very well in Apple’s ecosystem.

I've had zero issues working any smart LED bulbs with my GS9, setup took less than 10 minutes. I'm not sure how cable internet comes into this. ATV isn't the only TV Unit with an ethernet jack. Nearly all Smart TVs have an ethernet port hidden behind a small panel or on the base control unit aside from being able to use 802.11ac.

I can't comment on the Alexas, but I've heard and read more good than anything bad about them. The limitation he's facing with Roku is a Roku issue, and last I checked, that company is facing loss each quarter due to their products being made useless by more powerful units and or Smart TVs.

Perhaps your friend is simply too thick to understand it all.

 

[Defthand]

That is a nightmare situation. I, like most people, prefer their home networks to be fire-walled via router - the most logical & secure arrangement. I do not want all devices connecting to the internet independently, ever. That’s a really bad idea.

Amen. ZERO security assurance is given by IoT appliance makers. Early adopters are in for a rude awakening. We’re already hearing hacking stories concerning things like home webcams. It won’t be harmless if hackers hold your house’s connected devices hostage until you pay a ransom.

 

[mikethemartian]

That wont happen.

You're advocating a business plan that completely echos the one Apple faced in the 1980's -- whether to license the IP and let others make "compatible competitors" to grow the platform quickly, or tightly hold onto the crown jewels and be the sole supplier of the business. Apple generally wants to own the whole pie so they don't have to compete.

Supposedly there was once the plan in the 80s of a split strategy that would allow the licensing of the Mac’s OS to be used in high end workstations by Apollo Computer while Apple retained exclusivity of the consumer/general business market. But supposedly Sculley cancelled the deal at the last minute because he thought Sun would be a more prestigous partner.

 

[EvilEvil]

Where've you been?

Apple's Siri got a lot smarter over the last 9 months
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/21/apple-siri-vs-alexa-google-assistant-loup-ventures.html

Apple's AI and ML acquisitions have been showing up in Siri as it was rebuilt from the ground up using the technologies and people Apple inherited from those acquisitions.

The Beats purchase which many many people (specially here) cried about has made an incredible return on investment. iTunes was quickly losing its footing as Apple's dominating force in the music industry and Apple used Beats to quickly turn around into Apple Music, now growing at a faster pace than Spotify (which means that Apple will inevitably catch up). Beats hardware revenue alone already returned to Apple what they paid for the company and continues to pay, and will continue to pay dividends into the foreseeable future.

Buying Workflow was an easy win for Apple, which have become Shortcuts, an important element of how Siri will continue to integrate into third party apps.

There are I'm sure acquisitions that we'll not know how they factored in to Apple's plans but saying that Apple hasn't improved their software or hardware is myopic and frankly, provably wrong.

I've been here. That's just a PR flush piece. Siri still sucks.

 

[RecentlyConverted]

Higher-end Medeco locks already have the inside thumb turn (the dead-bolt lever) that itself is a key and can be removed. This means only a key (regular or the thumb turn) can open the door from inside, addressing this "easy to open from inside" issue.

Wonder if people who have this have already lost three of them in a year.

Do have a link to that? My search brings up cabinet locks.

 

[DNichter]

Some of the hate for HomeKit surprises me. I feel like Apple has the most secure smart home platform out there and set up, execution, and implementation via voice and the app is really straightforward. I haven't run into any issues and everything has been extremely stable and reliable. The only area where I would see a need for improvement is the amount of HomeKit devices out there. Whether it is making it easier to implement with existing manufacturers or bringing some of that development in house, this is where they should be focusing. It sounds like they are doing just that with this hire so I am happy with the move.

 

[WinstonRumfoord]

Please come out with something like Samsung Smartthing hub.... I am about to throw this hub in the trash....Nothing but issues for the past 1 year.... I want to find a replacement.

As much as I love my SmartThings, I equally want to throw it out the window. If apple could match half of it's power/flexibility/compatibility while making it rock solidly stable, it would wipe up the floor with Samsung.

 

[ipedro]

That wont happen.

You're advocating a business plan that completely echos the one Apple faced in the 1980's -- whether to license the IP and let others make "compatible competitors" to grow the platform quickly, or tightly hold onto the crown jewels and be the sole supplier of the business. Apple generally wants to own the whole pie so they don't have to compete.

What do you mean “that won’t happen”? It already has. HomeKit is already open to third parties.

I’m just suggesting that Apple would build reference devices, the best ones to meet their vision of smart home devices and third parties would continue to build their own. That’s how the App Store works too. Apple builds certain apps but other developers are welcome to produce their own.
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I've been here. That's just a PR flush piece. Siri still sucks.

Backed by actual evidence. The research is openly available. But you’re not interested in that because it debunks your predetermined opinion.

 

[Razeus]

Too late. I'm already on board with Google for my smartphone. Apple can't seem to see anything else that isn't iPhone. They totally missed this one.

Apple should have bought Eero, Sonos, a smartlock company, etc. But nope.

 

[KPandian1]

Do have a link to that? My search brings up cabinet locks.

https://www.medeco.com/en/site/medeco/products/deadbolts/maxum/

https://www.medeco.com/en/site/medeco/training/bilt/biltmaxumdeadbolt/

or their YouTube:

They call it Removable Thumbturn or Captive Thumturn, and offer it in residential and commercial models.

 

[nexusrule]

I’m not interested in getting the most profits but as a customer interested in products that give good value for money. I would applaud if that graphics showed the grow of good quality products instead of rising shares. Sometimes I wonder if Apple exists for shareholders or customers.

Your comment said something on the line of "I understood Apple was not a company to INVEST in since 2012". Easy to totally move the goal now to seems less wrong, but meaningless too.

 

[steve knight]

I actually think homekit is fantastic. Its far better than alexa integration because you have a graphical way of interacting with your devices at any time with the control center

compared to actiontiles with smarthings it is primitive.

 

[mpainesyd]

https://www.medeco.com/en/site/medeco/products/deadbolts/maxum/

https://www.medeco.com/en/site/medeco/training/bilt/biltmaxumdeadbolt/

or their YouTube:

They call it Removable Thumbturn or Captive Thumturn, and offer it in residential and commercial models.

I can't find any mention of Homekit, or the Homekit logo on their website.

 

[KPandian1]

I can't find any mention of Homekit, or the Homekit logo on their website.

The answer was for the Removable ThumbTurn or Captive ThumbTurn deadbolt issue - as in, a thief can open the door from inside after gaining access from a window, garage, etc. to walk out the front door with large items. Basically, a keyed deadbolt from inside the house that is not a firetrap when in place, a fully keyed-locked door when removed.

No idea about the HomeKit compatibility. Very good feature, though.