Apple HomeKit seen 'gaining traction' in smarthome accessories towards 2023

Posted:
in iPhone edited March 2020
As the number of smarthome devices approaches a forecast 1.56 billion in 2023, ones compatible with Apple's HomeKit should finally gain more "traction," according to research firm IDC.

An early version of Nanoleaf's HomeKit-compatible Canvas light panels.
An early version of Nanoleaf's HomeKit-compatible Canvas light panels.


"Though the [2019] smart home market will essentially be dominated by two companies, Amazon and Google, Apple is also expected to gain traction in the coming years," it said in a report. Amazon Alexa and Google Home are so far the most dominant consumer smarthome platforms in terms of compatibility, aided by matching low-cost smartspeakers.

"The existing popularity of iOS and macOS devices combined with the availability of Apple apps/services on non-Apple products will help the company slowly entice more consumers into their ecosystem," IDC suggested, "while also attracting third parties to build compatible devices."

Last week Apple introduced several new services: Apple News+, Apple Arcade, Apple Card, Apple TV Channels, and finally Apple TV+, its original video platform. Alongside that it revealed that its redesigned TV app would come to third-party smart TVs and streamers, joining AirPlay 2 and HomeKit.

HomeKit has enjoyed reasonably healthy support by accessory makers like Hunter, ecobee, Philips, and Honeywell, but Apple's one smartspeaker -- the HomePod -- is normally $349. People who just want voice control and/or already have high-quality speakers can get an Amazon Echo Dot for $39.99, or a Google Home Mini for $49. A rumored "cheap" HomePod has yet to manifest.

Apple's December-quarter share of the global smartspeaker market was recently estimated at 1.6 percent. That's a far cry from Amazon's 13.7, and Google's 11.5.

Perhaps more importantly, Amazon and Google's smarthome platforms are typically considered easier to develop for. For years Apple required that HomeKit accessories have a dedicated chip for handling its tough encryption, and while decryption can now be done in software, developers like August have complained that HomeKit still requires extra effort.

In fact only recently have brands like Netatmo and Robin begun launching HomeKit-compatible doorbells, despite that technology being a marketing centerpiece for the iOS Home app in 2016. Two of the most popular doorbell brands -- August and Ring -- once promised HomeKit compatibility but appear to have backtracked.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    HomeKit will never win with Amazon Alexa solution unless Apple will start developing/enabling it for Android as well. Android is majority of devices on the market around the world and that will not change to Apple advantage. I would suggest stop locking ecosystem and at least enable major development on alternative platforms. Mark my words and see what happens in 2025.
    Roger_Fingas
  • Reply 2 of 21
    kruegdudekruegdude Posts: 340member
    HomeKit will never win with Amazon Alexa solution unless Apple will start developing/enabling it for Android as well. Android is majority of devices on the market around the world and that will not change to Apple advantage. I would suggest stop locking ecosystem and at least enable major development on alternative platforms. Mark my words and see what happens in 2025.
    Mark your words for 2025? I’d be lucky to remember my own 6 years from now, lol. 
    JanNLAppleExposedwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 21
    emig647emig647 Posts: 2,455member
    Why does Apple have to win the home automation market? Can they not just be apart of the quality devices home market? Like computers and other devices, I'm not interested in cheap knock offs that are going to fail, especially when it comes to devices in my home. I want items that are going to last for years and are not going to be replaced every few years.

    So far that has been working out. I'm quite happy with my LiftMaster garage door openers, Ecobee3, August smart lock and hue lighting. Everything seems to work well, and can control it all from my watch or phone. It will be interesting to see how much more automated homes can become (predicting renewable energy compatible devices with energy use and gain anticipation algorithms). I am waiting for a good blinds set up, so far I have found them all to be ugly, but other than that I'm not sure what else I would want. 

    ** One point that was not mentioned in the article was that the AppleTV can be a hub too. I'm not sure why there is a focus on the HomePod. I do not own a HomePod, not sure I will.

    *** Another point missed: Siri needs some serious refactoring to be a true competitor in this market.
    edited April 2019 larryjwkruegdudekkqd1337watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 21
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    Apple obviously will not prevail in this market until they develop their own devices.
    Amazon and Google -- as well as others -- have one main goal:  To Spy On You!
    ...  And, with smart devices in your home they know your every move.

    Only Apple with its security and integration abilities can develop and maintain smart devices that work well together and maintain security.

    I am certainly not going to put "a hub" from some no name company in my home anymore than I want Amazon or Google listening to everything I do or say.
    hmurchisonbonobobStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 21
    kkqd1337kkqd1337 Posts: 424member
    emig647 said:
    Why does Apple have to win the home automation market? Can they not just be apart of the quality devices home market? Like computers and other devices, I'm not interested in cheap knock offs that are going to fail, especially when it comes to devices in my home. I want items that are going to last for years and are not going to be replaced every few years.

    So far that has been working out. I'm quite happy with my LiftMaster garage door openers, Ecobee3, August smart lock and hue lighting. Everything seems to work well, and can control it all from my watch or phone. It will be interesting to see how much more automated homes can become (predicting renewable energy compatible devices with energy use and gain anticipation algorithms). I am waiting for a good blinds set up, so far I have found them all to be ugly, but other than that I'm not sure what else I would want. 

    ** One point that was not mentioned in the article was that the AppleTV can be a hub too. I'm not sure why there is a focus on the HomePod. I do not own a HomePod, not sure I will.

    *** Another point missed: Siri needs some serious refactoring to be a true competitor in this market.
    I agree. 

    In smart home quality and robustness matter more than anywhere else. Especially if your trusting it to lock your doors! So quality above quantity matters here.

    I think Apple need an Echo Dot/Google Home Mini for two reasons:

    1. Get more people using Siri, then maybe it will get better. The cost of fitting out your home with HomePod's is just laughable. 
    2. To act as an always on hub - 'most' people don't want Apple TV, plus it's expensive, and relying on always keeping an iPad charged and kept at home is not robust enough. 
  • Reply 6 of 21
    kkqd1337kkqd1337 Posts: 424member
    Apple obviously will not prevail in this market until they develop their own devices.
    Amazon and Google -- as well as others -- have one main goal:  To Spy On You!
    ...  And, with smart devices in your home they know your every move.

    Only Apple with its security and integration abilities can develop and maintain smart devices that work well together and maintain security.

    I am certainly not going to put "a hub" from some no name company in my home anymore than I want Amazon or Google listening to everything I do or say.
    If your worried about privacy and security you're wrong to trust Apple any more than Google or Amazon. 

    I'm not saying Apple are worse, but I wouldn't put them on any pedestal either.

    Their latest marketing campaigns might be pushing privacy hard. But that's all it is. Fancy TV adverts, nice posters, and carefully scripted stage shows.
  • Reply 7 of 21
    kruegdudekruegdude Posts: 340member
    kkqd1337 said:
    Apple obviously will not prevail in this market until they develop their own devices.
    Amazon and Google -- as well as others -- have one main goal:  To Spy On You!
    ...  And, with smart devices in your home they know your every move.

    Only Apple with its security and integration abilities can develop and maintain smart devices that work well together and maintain security.

    I am certainly not going to put "a hub" from some no name company in my home anymore than I want Amazon or Google listening to everything I do or say.
    If your worried about privacy and security you're wrong to trust Apple any more than Google or Amazon. 

    I'm not saying Apple are worse, but I wouldn't put them on any pedestal either.

    Their latest marketing campaigns might be pushing privacy hard. But that's all it is. Fancy TV adverts, nice posters, and carefully scripted stage shows.
    I believe you have the cart before the horse in your assessment. Apple have spent a lot of time and effort building in strong privacy protections for its customers. They are now pushing their accomplishments in more aggressive marketing campaigns.

    I think you must be mixing up what Apple is doing with the folks over at Amazon, Google and Facebook. If you are you would be wrong. 
    GeorgeBMacStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 21
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Apple obviously will not prevail in this market until they develop their own devices.
    Amazon and Google -- as well as others -- have one main goal:  To Spy On You!

    LOL....

    And all along I thought it was to be profitable corporations. Who knew it was spying? Thanks George.
  • Reply 9 of 21
    kruegdudekruegdude Posts: 340member
    gatorguy said:
    Apple obviously will not prevail in this market until they develop their own devices.
    Amazon and Google -- as well as others -- have one main goal:  To Spy On You!

    LOL....

    And all along I thought it was to be profitable corporations. Who knew it was spying? Thanks George.
    It’s a new Amazon service, “see and hear what your neighbors are doing”, $9.99/month. 
    hmurchisonGG1GeorgeBMacwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 21
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    kruegdude said:
    gatorguy said:
    Apple obviously will not prevail in this market until they develop their own devices.
    Amazon and Google -- as well as others -- have one main goal:  To Spy On You!

    LOL....

    And all along I thought it was to be profitable corporations. Who knew it was spying? Thanks George.
    It’s a new Amazon service, “see and hear what your neighbors are doing”, $9.99/month. 
    :)
  • Reply 11 of 21
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    HomeKit will never win with Amazon Alexa solution unless Apple will start developing/enabling it for Android as well. Android is majority of devices on the market around the world and that will not change to Apple advantage. I would suggest stop locking ecosystem and at least enable major development on alternative platforms. Mark my words and see what happens in 2025.

    There's not going to be any winners here.  No one company is going to own the home.   HomeKit is an abstraction layer not a protocol.   It's designed to sit atop underlaying protocols like Wifi or Bluetooth and allow single app control of devices that support multiple protocols.    HomeKit then has hooks into the system to enable support from Siri etc.  It makes no sense to attempt to take it to another platform. 

    It's easy to see where we're going here.   Most of the large companies are members of the Thread Group. They are actively working on software and hardware enabling IEEE standard 802.15.4 low power IP networking.   This in conjunction with the vast channel improvements of Wifi 6 (via OFDMA) is going to enable strong encryption, low power IP addressable local and cloud access protocols that will support legacy protocol like Zigbee but give us more flexibility and integration into hardware.

    Look at this list of partners. https://www.threadgroup.org/thread-group#OurMembers ;

    I already know where these companies are going.   No one gives two shats about Amazon or Google or Apple as they're just cogs in the wheel,  the power of a network is in stability, encryption/security and interoperability.   



    gatorguyJapheyGG1watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 21
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    gatorguy said:
    Apple obviously will not prevail in this market until they develop their own devices.
    Amazon and Google -- as well as others -- have one main goal:  To Spy On You!

    LOL....

    And all along I thought it was to be profitable corporations. Who knew it was spying? Thanks George.
    You didn't know that?   Huh!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 21
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    gatorguy said:
    Apple obviously will not prevail in this market until they develop their own devices.
    Amazon and Google -- as well as others -- have one main goal:  To Spy On You!

    LOL....

    And all along I thought it was to be profitable corporations. Who knew it was spying? Thanks George.
    You didn't know that?   Huh!
    Nor did you sir. :) Worth a try tho. 
  • Reply 14 of 21
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    HomeKit will never win with Amazon Alexa solution unless Apple will start developing/enabling it for Android as well. Android is majority of devices on the market around the world and that will not change to Apple advantage. I would suggest stop locking ecosystem and at least enable major development on alternative platforms. Mark my words and see what happens in 2025.

    There's not going to be any winners here.  No one company is going to own the home.   HomeKit is an abstraction layer not a protocol.   It's designed to sit atop underlaying protocols like Wifi or Bluetooth and allow single app control of devices that support multiple protocols.    HomeKit then has hooks into the system to enable support from Siri etc.  It makes no sense to attempt to take it to another platform. 

    It's easy to see where we're going here.   Most of the large companies are members of the Thread Group. They are actively working on software and hardware enabling IEEE standard 802.15.4 low power IP networking.   This in conjunction with the vast channel improvements of Wifi 6 (via OFDMA) is going to enable strong encryption, low power IP addressable local and cloud access protocols that will support legacy protocol like Zigbee but give us more flexibility and integration into hardware.

    Look at this list of partners. https://www.threadgroup.org/thread-group#OurMembers ;

    I already know where these companies are going.   No one gives two shats about Amazon or Google or Apple as they're just cogs in the wheel,  the power of a network is in stability, encryption/security and interoperability.   



    That works till they blast what goes on in your home up to their servers.
  • Reply 15 of 21
    BloggerLFBloggerLF Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    kkqd1337 said:
    emig647 said:
    Why does Apple have to win the home automation market? Can they not just be apart of the quality devices home market? Like computers and other devices, I'm not interested in cheap knock offs that are going to fail, especially when it comes to devices in my home. I want items that are going to last for years and are not going to be replaced every few years.

    So far that has been working out. I'm quite happy with my LiftMaster garage door openers, Ecobee3, August smart lock and hue lighting. Everything seems to work well, and can control it all from my watch or phone. It will be interesting to see how much more automated homes can become (predicting renewable energy compatible devices with energy use and gain anticipation algorithms). I am waiting for a good blinds set up, so far I have found them all to be ugly, but other than that I'm not sure what else I would want. 

    ** One point that was not mentioned in the article was that the AppleTV can be a hub too. I'm not sure why there is a focus on the HomePod. I do not own a HomePod, not sure I will.

    *** Another point missed: Siri needs some serious refactoring to be a true competitor in this market.
    I agree. 

    In smart home quality and robustness matter more than anywhere else. Especially if your trusting it to lock your doors! So quality above quantity matters here.

    I think Apple need an Echo Dot/Google Home Mini for two reasons:

    1. Get more people using Siri, then maybe it will get better. The cost of fitting out your home with HomePod's is just laughable. 
    2. To act as an always on hub - 'most' people don't want Apple TV, plus it's expensive, and relying on always keeping an iPad charged and kept at home is not robust enough. 
    Totally agree.... I’m test driving both Alexa and Siri in my home with 2 Ecobees, 2 smart plugs and 12 Hue Lights.  Siri/Homekit has really been more stable, reliable and quicker to respond, but......  Having several Echo dots and an Echo Plus scattered around the house has made Alexa the most used solution by far by me and my family.  I don’t always have my phone or IPad with me when I venture around the house from room to room.  Until they have a Siri Gateway device that’s affordable, I’m afraid the adoption rate is going to lag considerably.  
    kkqd1337
  • Reply 16 of 21
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member
    Why that horrendous name? Why couldn't simply "Home" do? When I first heard "HomeKit" I thought it was the developer name for companies not for the consumer.

    I think because of security Apple will win in the long run. What they should do is acquire companies to develop products in the low end.
  • Reply 17 of 21
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Why that horrendous name? Why couldn't simply "Home" do? When I first heard "HomeKit" I thought it was the developer name for companies not for the consumer.

    I think because of security Apple will win in the long run. What they should do is acquire companies to develop products in the low end.
    I believe Apple's plan is using the same backbone system as Google and Amazon: the Thread Group. They're now part of the Board. 
     https://www.threadgroup.org/
  • Reply 18 of 21
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,844member
    kkqd1337 said:
    Apple obviously will not prevail in this market until they develop their own devices.
    Amazon and Google -- as well as others -- have one main goal:  To Spy On You!
    ...  And, with smart devices in your home they know your every move.

    Only Apple with its security and integration abilities can develop and maintain smart devices that work well together and maintain security.

    I am certainly not going to put "a hub" from some no name company in my home anymore than I want Amazon or Google listening to everything I do or say.
    If your worried about privacy and security you're wrong to trust Apple any more than Google or Amazon. 

    I'm not saying Apple are worse, but I wouldn't put them on any pedestal either.

    Their latest marketing campaigns might be pushing privacy hard. But that's all it is. Fancy TV adverts, nice posters, and carefully scripted stage shows.
    Wrong. Nice FUD pellets you’ve dropped behind... To Google and the like, you are the product and the advertisers are their customer. Completely different situation with Apple where you personally are the customer. That’s why it’s in their interests to over privacy as a feature. 
    hmurchisonGeorgeBMacwatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 21
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,844member

    Why that horrendous name? Why couldn't simply "Home" do? When I first heard "HomeKit" I thought it was the developer name for companies not for the consumer.

    I think because of security Apple will win in the long run. What they should do is acquire companies to develop products in the low end.
    HomeKit is the framework used by developers. As is HealthKit, UIKit, etc. The user-facing app is simply Home.
    edited April 2019 watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 21
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    Amazon and Google -- as well as others -- have one main goal:  To Spy On You!
    ...  And, with smart devices in your home they know your every move.

    Only Apple with its security and integration abilities can develop and maintain smart devices that work well together and maintain security.

    I am certainly not going to put "a hub" from some no name company in my home anymore than I want Amazon or Google listening to everything I do or say.
    Anyone see the South Park episode with Jeff Bezos from last December? 
    watto_cobra
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