iDevices shows off 'Switch' connected plug for Apple's HomeKit

Posted:
in General Discussion edited November 2015
Apple fans will soon be able to control some lights and appliances with Siri, as Apple accessories partner iDevices has announced its new "Switch" HomeKit-compatible connected plug at the annual Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas.




Switch sits between an appliance and the wall outlet, meaning that nearly any electrically-powered product can be controlled after connecting Switch to the home Wi-Fi network. Switch itself is managed by a companion iOS app and integrates with Apple's HomeKit home automation framework.

Thanks to the HomeKit integration, users can also bypass the companion app and instead control Switch using their voice; for instance, telling Siri to "turn off the lights in the living room" could do just that.

Each Switch contains both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules, and connects directly to the network without a central hub. iDevices says that each Switch is small enough to occupy only one outlet in a wall plate, allowing multiple Switch units to be plugged in next to each other.




iDevices --?best known for the iGrill line of Bluetooth cooking thermometers --?has also designed a "custom IoT cloud" for Switch, allowing owners to control the devices while away from home.

Apple announced HomeKit alongside iOS 8 at last year's Worldwide Developers Conference. The framework is designed to bridge the gap between various home automation schemes, making it easier for users to implement and manage the "internet of things" in their homes.

In addition to iOS devices, which are used to issue commands to HomeKit-enabled accessories, the Apple TV has been drafted into service to facilitate the HomeKit rollout. A late October update to the set-top box added features that allow it to work as a remote access hub for HomeKit devices, though it is unclear if iDevices is taking advantage of this functionality with Switch.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    zoffdinozoffdino Posts: 192member
    What, a company calling itself "iDevices" is allowed to do business with Apple? Don't you know that Apple owns the letter "i"? /s

    It looks to be limited to on-off function for now. Still I'm waiting for the multi-port version before parting with my cash.
  • Reply 2 of 20
    titusmtitusm Posts: 21member
    Will this save or waste power?
  • Reply 3 of 20
    Wait, "custom IoT cloud for Switch, allowing owners to control the devices while away from home. "?
    The current Apple TV not only work as remote access hub, it can potentially change any values in any HomeKit accessories. (I haven't took apart the iOS of Apple TV. But from what I gather from my home-brew HomeKit light, Apple TV would gain the ability for direct access to the accessories, and id whether the command is from a remote controller. If they only want remote access, they don't need any of that. )
    In what universal do they think they could do secure IoT could that the one by Apple? The HomeKit security is overkill (They use the best in the industry, then put SHA-512 in place of SHA-1. ) And I don't see the upside for there IoT
  • Reply 4 of 20

    1. Why announce now? You get lost in the great CES shuffle and no one can BUY it!

    2. I need a Mac OS X application in addition to iOS. I really think complete home control requires a larger screen.

  • Reply 5 of 20
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by titusm View Post



    Will this save or waste power?



    Yes.

  • Reply 6 of 20
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by titusm View Post



    Will this save or waste power?



    It will obviously waste power as users will use it to switch on their electric heaters and forget that they are on. They will have hung their bath towel over the heater so when they get home from work having installed the switch their house will have burned down. Now they have to rebuild so yes, it will definitely waste power. 

     

    Still it is very clever.

  • Reply 7 of 20
    zoffdino wrote: »
    What, a company calling itself "iDevices" is allowed to do business with Apple? Don't you know that Apple owns the letter "i"? /s

    It looks to be limited to on-off function for now. Still I'm waiting for the multi-port version before parting with my cash.
    Well, if Apple is working with iDevices, and not suing them for some kind of trademark concern in their name, doesn't that serve as evidence within your own statement that your statement is not correct?
  • Reply 8 of 20
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member



    Cool.  It's like an X10 system for the 21st century. 

  • Reply 9 of 20
    normmnormm Posts: 653member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SockRolid View Post

     



    Cool.  It's like an X10 system for the 21st century. 




    theverge.com says the planned price for iDevices Switch is $50 each.  An X10 appliance module (switch) costs about $15, and an X10 controlled outlet is only about $20.  Of course X10 is flaky, and early adopters usually pay a premium.

  • Reply 10 of 20
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member

    Originally Posted by NormM View Post

     



    theverge.com says the planned price for iDevices Switch is $50 each.  An X10 appliance module (switch) costs about $15, and an X10 controlled outlet is only about $20.  Of course X10 is flaky, and early adopters usually pay a premium.


     

    Ouch.  But hey, if she's a hot enough date, she's worth the extra effort.

    This kind of accessory just screams "Bachelor Pad."

    Especially with those ga-roovy Austin-Powers-ish Philips mood lamps.

  • Reply 11 of 20
    droidftwdroidftw Posts: 1,009member
    I wonder what makes this better then the Belkin WeMo ?
  • Reply 12 of 20
    droidftw wrote: »
    I wonder what makes this better then the Belkin WeMo ?
    For a start the Belkin wemo can only live at one location.
    If you are fortunate enough to have more than one location, home, business, holiday home for example, you need 3 Ios devices, one for each location.
    Yes belkin is that crap, but it's ok, since belkin have been going to fix this major inconvenience for almost 3 years
    Wankers
  • Reply 13 of 20
    esummersesummers Posts: 953member
    For $50, Hue may be a better option for most lamps.
  • Reply 14 of 20
    droidftwdroidftw Posts: 1,009member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Right_said_fred View Post





    For a start the Belkin wemo can only live at one location.

    If you are fortunate enough to have more than one location, home, business, holiday home for example, you need 3 Ios devices, one for each location.

    Yes belkin is that crap, but it's ok, since belkin have been going to fix this major inconvenience for almost 3 years

    Wankers

     

    You sound bitter.  That's certainly a well documented issue with the Belkins, sorry if you got burned assuming otherwise.  I guess I missed the part where it said that these are different in that regard.  That would certainly be a bonus.

     

    P.S.  I liked the part where you called it a "major inconvenience" as that made me laugh out loud.

  • Reply 15 of 20
    revenantrevenant Posts: 621member

    can i clap on and clap off?

  • Reply 16 of 20
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DroidFTW View Post
     

     

    You sound bitter.  That's certainly a well documented issue with the Belkins, sorry if you got burned assuming otherwise.  I guess I missed the part where it said that these are different in that regard.  That would certainly be a bonus.

     

    P.S.  I liked the part where you called it a "major inconvenience" as that made me laugh out loud.


    no not bitter, but i remain disappointed - currently i have my iPad for one place, my iPhone for another, and my wife has to do the third place on her iPhone. Its frustrating and inconvenient - and I do find it a tad frustrating, since other apps i have (for HVAC, and for camera - mydlink) do not suffer this restriction. Belkin could even simply offer more than one app, perhaps label location 1, 2 , 3 etc.... an easy way round it. 

    What is not frustrating is the WEMO devices (hardware) works quite well. Im not really burned, as I have still bought a few more WEMO switches, and prox detectors, but then again, they do keep promising a fix for multiple locations. (funnily enough, Belkin use a blog on get satisfaction.com

  • Reply 17 of 20
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,056member

    I just have a hard time figuring out how to deploy these things. I have a single wemo light switch, and it works great. It works because it functions both as a mechanical switch when I'm standing next to it, and I can toggle the function with a remote iOS app.

     

    With this iDevice, if I am standing next to a lamp or appliance and want to turn it on or off, I have to go find my iPhone (or resort to my Apple Watch that I don't see yet.) Yuck. Or fish the cord on the lamp/appliance back to the plug, and toggle the power. Yuck.

     

    WeMo's current configuration doesn't have a wall switch that is more than one switch in the hole (no multiple switches is a single box.) They also can't handle a wiring configuration with two undefended switches for one light - i.e. an upstairs toggle and a downstairs toggle. When they get those, I have a use for about 8 of them, and will buy quickly.

  • Reply 18 of 20
    takeotakeo Posts: 445member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DroidFTW View Post



    I wonder what makes this better then the Belkin WeMo ?



    Maybe it will actually work... not taking 30 seconds to discover the switches every time you launch Belkin garbage iOS all... maybe not dropping the WiFi connection 3 times a week... and taking half an hour to reconfigure them. My WeMo's (all 3 of them) went to the landfill after a year of PAIN... total piece of crap product.

  • Reply 19 of 20
    revenant wrote: »
    can i clap on and clap off?

    With the Siri add-on ClapApp (patent pending)
  • Reply 20 of 20
    welshdogwelshdog Posts: 1,897member

    X10 is long dead and has been replaced by numerous other standards, most of which use RF along with power line signaling. The price of the iDevice here is in line with prices of other home automation switches.

     

    One thing I wonder about is the widespread selling of these units will create some problems when the uninformed attempt to install.  These devices come in two basic types: dim-able and relay switched. The dim-able ones use a solid state component to manipulate the power, it's not a clean on-off action. You CANNOT use these devices with anything but a resistive load. If you do, one or the other will be damaged. Overheating and fire is a real possibility. The relay switched types can work with anything - fluorescent lights, fans, motors etc.

     

    Normal humans don't know any of this stuff and I'm betting a fair amount of chaos will ensue as IoT goes wide.

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