New HomeKit Features Available for iOS 9
Last week at WWDC, Apple announced some new additions to HomeKit in the iOS platform. Many of the changes are intriguing as they relate to the function of triggers in the smart home environment. Previously, in iOS 8, triggers were limited to time and geo-fence applications respectively. Now, elements based on a variety of activities can trigger events. For instance, getting home in the winter past 6pm will activate a different scene than if it were a summer afternoon. In addition, Apple has made scene construction and execution easier with the implementation of four pre-defined scene types (getting up, leaving home, returning home and going to bed). Siri recognizes these types and they can be activated through voice control.
Apple Watch has also received support for HomeKit in watchOS 2, which allows triggers to continue even when the iPhone is left at home. The HomeKit platform itself received a facelift with the new abilities it gained as far as product information. Instead of connected devices appearing only as serial numbers or brand names, the program will actually recognize the type of product and display an icon that represents it.
Read more about the new advancements in Apple IoT here.