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iOS 9 Could Feature 'Home' App For Controlling HomeKit Accessories

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple is planning a new "Home" app that would enable users to wirelessly discover, securely manage and control HomeKit-based accessories using an iOS device, according to 9to5Mac. The report also reiterates that the Apple TV would serve as a hub for all HomeKit connected devices.

The report claims that Home could be introduced alongside iOS 9 at Apple's upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco next month, although the app may not be finalized in time and could remain limited to internal usage by employees only.

HomeKit was announced at WWDC last year as a software framework for communicating with and controlling connected devices in the home, but the home automation platform has experienced delays since then and has yet to officially launch. Fortune reported last week that HomeKit was pushed back until August or September, but Apple has since confirmed that accessory announcements will begin in June.

The rumored Home app would be the front-end platform for HomeKit, akin to the Health app and HealthKit on iOS 8, and reportedly has "fairly basic" functionality centered upon virtual rooms, the Apple TV and other features:
Wirelessly discovering and setting up compatible HomeKit devices
Creating a virtual representation of rooms in the home to easily organize and connect HomeKit devices
Utilizing the Apple TV as a hub connecting all of the HomeKit devices
Offering a series of screens to help users find new HomeKit devices and apps
Click to expand...
If the Home app is not released, the report claims that Apple may elect for customers to control their HomeKit connected devices using Siri and accompanying App Store apps from accessory makers and developers. HomeKit partners confirmed to date, among others, include Belkin, Elgato, Schlage, iDevices and GE.

Article Link: iOS 9 Could Feature 'Home' App For Controlling HomeKit Accessories
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/05/20/ios-9-home-app-homekit-accessories/
One day, I'll have HomeKit-compatible devices, but until then, this will just be another app for the "junk" folder.

Forgot that I was jailbroken for a moment. Can easily hide those things!
 
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Like CarPlay, things like this are awesome and cool, but won't seriously impact myself for awhile. But it is cool to see the future now :cool::apple:
 
BeSweeet said:
One day, I'll have HomeKit-compatible devices, but until then, this will just be another app for the "junk" folder.
Click to expand...

More apps. Like the Apple TV, we are at that stage we seriously need a hide option. I do not and never will use compass, home app, etc. Atleast, not in the next year. If things change I could always bring it back, but why not let me hide it? Seems fair. Otherwise, it is bloat ware as bad as AT&T's crap on Android phones. :eek:
 
I hope everything lives inside a centrally controlled app. Many of the app reviews I've looked at for various smart devices are pretty poor. They just need to provide basic information to HomeKit and let Apple handle the rest. We also need quick access to it through a today widget and/or control center.
 
Pupi said:
Waiting for "great, more bloatware I can't remove" posts :cool:
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Haha, seriously just posted something about it. Not complaining heavily, but the ability to hide it would be best. I understand I can dump it in a folder, which is what I will do, but why not let me hide it and be able to re add it in my settings when I need the app? Seems like a legitamite solution rather than just saying, "arggg, hate bloatware. Another dang app!!! Come on Apple!!!" :cool::apple:
 
Pupi said:
Waiting for "great, more bloatware I can't remove" posts :cool:
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You think users who will never need or want an Apple Watch should be stuck with the Apple Watch software on their iPhone, cluttering up the desktop and using storage? REALLY? It's arrogant of Apple, but the lemmings will just fall in line. You should be able to remove it. PERIOD!
 
AppleGuesser said:
More apps. Like the Apple TV, we are at that stage we seriously need a hide option. I do not and never will use compass, home app, etc. Atleast, not in the next year. If things change I could always bring it back, but why not let me hide it? Seems fair. Otherwise, it is bloat ware as bad as AT&T's crap on Android phones. :eek:
Click to expand...

You can hide them on the Apple TV though...
 
thank god there are multiple pages of apps in one folder otherwise i would be stuck with "nope 1" "nope 2" "nope 3" by now.

seriously .... just hide it in the settings panel until the user actually has use for it. why make a dedicated app on the springboard ...
 
Easy home automation is LONG overdue. Conflicting standards, companies coming and going, etc., has made old jetson episodes still look state of the art...

So I am happy to see Apple through its weight behind this and see if we can get enough enertia to make this stick.
 
AppleGuesser said:
Haha, seriously just posted something about it. Not complaining heavily, but the ability to hide it would be best. I understand I can dump it in a folder, which is what I will do, but why not let me hide it and be able to re add it in my settings when I need the app? Seems like a legitamite solution rather than just saying, "arggg, hate bloatware. Another dang app!!! Come on Apple!!!" :cool::apple:
Click to expand...
Just pointing out a common trend, but not in a demeaning away :D

Personally, I don't mind it too much, as like you said I just throw whatever unused apps into a folder and put that folder on the last page.


That being said, if it's an issue to many people, and one that lowers their satisfaction, it should rather be addressed by Apple indeed.
 
AppleGuesser said:
More apps. Like the Apple TV, we are at that stage we seriously need a hide option. I do not and never will use compass, home app, etc. Atleast, not in the next year. If things change I could always bring it back, but why not let me hide it? Seems fair. Otherwise, it is bloat ware as bad as AT&T's crap on Android phones. :eek:
Click to expand...

You know, I was wondering if Apple might use the same process for hiding apps in iOS as they're using on the Apple Watch? Go into settings and just turn off the apps you don't want to see on your device??? Seems like it would be a really simple way to handle it.
 
scott911 said:
Easy home automation is LONG overdue. Conflicting standards, companies coming and going, etc., has made old jetson episodes still look state of the art...

So I am happy to see Apple through its weight behind this and see if we can get enough enertia to make this stick.
Click to expand...

^This....is why I haven't jumped into the market yet. I really want to spend my money on a few products (home / garage entry, thermostats, and lighting being at the top of the list) but the competing standards make it a mess. A useable mess if you do your homework, but still a mess.
 
Cloudsurfer said:
If iOS didn't have folders, we would've had over 2 pages of bloatware on our iPhones.

iOS really needs a hide function.
Click to expand...

Like with the Apple TV, the ability to hide apps is necessary in the near future, or at least my opinion. Until then, I am happy that Apple has increased the number of apps per folder and I can fit all of the default apps, minus safari, reminders, maps, in a junk folder buried several pages back.:cool:
 
Right now my home automation folder has apps for the following:

Honeywell Stats
Wink
Nest
Wemo
Harmony
netatmo
Yamaha receiver
RainMachine
LiftMaster
IF
and others....
I would love to get control over those and use from the same app.
 
AppleGuesser said:
More apps. Like the Apple TV, we are at that stage we seriously need a hide option. I do not and never will use compass, home app, etc. Atleast, not in the next year. If things change I could always bring it back, but why not let me hide it? Seems fair. Otherwise, it is bloat ware as bad as AT&T's crap on Android phones. :eek:
Click to expand...

Would be nice, but is it really such a big deal? Just make a junk folder, or as I call it Crapple. It's not like these apps take up huge amounts of storage.

----------
yozh said:
Right now my home automation folder has apps for the following:

Honeywell Stats
Wink
Nest
Wemo
Harmony
netatmo
Yamaha receiver
RainMachine
LiftMaster
IF
and others....
I would love to get control over those and use from the same app.
Click to expand...

This is precisely why I stayed away from home automation when I remodeled my place. That market is way too fragmented. I don't want a bunch of devices and apps that don't talk to each other. If Apple is successful in making HomeKit a standard, it will be huge.
 
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