HomeKit-Enabled Chips Begin Shipping to Smart Home Device Makers

Monday November 3, 2014 6:01 pm PST by Husain Sumra
HomeKit-iconAt its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple announced HomeKit, a platform designed to allow smart home devices to seamlessly integrate with iOS devices via Bluetooth and Wi-FI. As part of the certification process for Apple HomeKit, manufacturers must purchase their Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chips from Apple-approved chipmakers like Marvell, Texas Instruments and Broadcom. Those Apple-approved chips have begun shipping to smart home accessory makers, according to Forbes.
These chipmakers have begun shipping their chips loaded with HomeKit firmware to device manufacturers, Broadcom and Texas Instruments have confirmed to me. That means we could begin seeing HomeKit-certified devices show up on store shelves sometime soon. Although Apple hasn’t officially launched HomeKit yet, device makers can at least start putting together their gadgets now that they have the wireless chip armed with the HomeKit firmware.
Brian Bedrosian, Broadcom's senior director of embedded wireless, tells Forbes that smart home device makers are "getting ready" and that users should "expect to see new product launches in the next cycle of product releases." Bedrosian does caution that the firmware on the chips hasn't been finalized by Apple yet, and is essentially just a beta version of HomeKit. Broadcom and other chipmakers will be able to update the firmware remotely as HomeKit's feature set continues to be developed.

According to Bedrosian, the smart home device market has been fragmented thus far, but HomeKit provides a reliable way to bridge protocols and create simple connections between various devices using iCloud.

We've already seen several products that will take advantage of HomeKit, including a smart USB charger, a line of connected home sensors from Elgato, and the August Smart Lock, but Apple's HomeKit supports a wide range of products like lightbulbs, locks, fans, thermostats, power outlets, garage doors, and more. Apple has also announced several partners already, including Philips and Honeywell, and has finalized hardware specifications, bringing us one step closer to the launch of HomeKit.

Apple has plans to hold a Made for iPhone (MFi) summit November 12 through November 14, providing accessory manufacturers and developers with information on HomeKit, iBeacon, AirPlay, and more, and with chips shipping to manufacturers, we should be seeing additional hardware products with HomeKit support surfacing in the near future.

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JeffiJers
68 months ago

i've always wanted to turn off my lights by taking out my phone, unlocking it, searching for the app, and turn it off...as opposed to flipping the switch.


lol.. why don't you read into what home kit is.
Rating: 15 Votes
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autrefois
68 months ago

I would love to be able to control all of my electronics in my house from my iPhone / apple watch. It's starting to become a reality.

Alarm, surveillance cameras, tv, music, ATV, door lock, garage door, lights


In a perfect world, I agree with you. But iOS 8 can't even switch screen orientation correctly half the time for me. I'm not sure I want my phone in charge of my locks on my doors.

I can see it now:

This update is recommended for all users.

- Fixes a bug that would inadvertently open garage doors remotely for some users without warning.
- Addresses an issue with locking some users out of 2016 Ford cars
[...]
Rating: 8 Votes
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2020DC
68 months ago
Old Devices

So what about the $300 worth of Hue bulbs I already own? Will those be supported by Homekit? Will there be firmware updates or will they need to have the special "chip" built into them?
Rating: 7 Votes
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farewelwilliams
68 months ago
i've always wanted to turn off my lights by taking out my phone, unlocking it, searching for the app, and turn it off...as opposed to flipping the switch.
Rating: 7 Votes
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Keirasplace
68 months ago

i've always wanted to turn off my lights by taking out my phone, unlocking it, searching for the app, and turn it off...as opposed to flipping the switch.


Or you could set up a profile and as soon as the device detects you (or knows your coming from your GPS coordinates), the house devices tells your partner your coming, lights up whatever at the right level, the right color, adjust the heating puts the TV on to Game of Throne, makes popcorn and coffee, sets the correct music, opens your door and yes, sets the popcorn and coffee in front of the TV and pets your dog (required robot is not included for those last tasks) ;-).

You don't open any app, you are the trigger. If letting anyone with your phone into your house freaks you, you can probably set up touch ID for extra security.

You have a lack of imagination....
Rating: 4 Votes
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Swift
68 months ago

You guys rely too much on electronic devices. A simple thing like EMP would make you totally helpless.


Since it would either be from a massive cosmic event or a nuclear war, EMP is the least of our worries.
Rating: 4 Votes
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JeffyTheQuik
68 months ago

You guys rely too much on electronic devices. A simple thing like EMP would make you totally helpless.


You wrote this response on a piece of paper and mailed it in, right?
Rating: 3 Votes
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taptic
68 months ago

lololololol why don't you.


Such comeback. Much witty.
Rating: 3 Votes
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gavroche
68 months ago

i've always wanted to turn off my lights by taking out my phone, unlocking it, searching for the app, and turn it off...as opposed to flipping the switch.


Yea... i guess if you are on vacation and you want to turn on the lights at night (so someone looking for a house to rob will think someone is home)... you could get on a plane, fly home, turn on the light... then fly back.
Seriously though, if that is the only use case you can think of, you are not thinking hard enough! :p

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Well this sucks. I guess all the current equipment I have now won't work with HomeKit. I thought it would. Oh well. No biggy I guess. I thought it would be software upgrade. I didn't think anything would have to be done with the hardware.


That does suck... i hadn't thought so either. Guess it would depend on the type of device, whether a firmware upgrade would be feasible.
Rating: 3 Votes
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ThatsMrsGeek2U
68 months ago
Cracks me up that folks that worry about EMP and power outage, but are failing to grasp, while caught up in their hyperbolic fretting, is that except for a front door lock, nearly everything else that HomeKit is aiming for is ALREADY ELECTRONIC! So if the power fails, my issue won't be that my phone does not work on my lights or garage door, but that simple my lights and garage door don't work anyway. (and all the door lock designed i have seen so far include a physical key override)

Also you are glossing over that nearly all these smart things are designed to be interacted with in person OR remotely.

Light switches are not being made with no switch on the wall, they are being made with both. One can decide which is the most sensical way to use them in any particular moment. With your hand if you happen to be standing right there, or your iPhone if you are already in bed or coming home from work, and lastly with software settings in the case of setting up motion detectors, linked actions, geofencing or timed settings.
Rating: 2 Votes

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