CES 2015: iDevices Switch brings HomeKit and Siri to the connected home
It's amazing how quickly things change. Just less than a year ago at the last Macworld/iWorld, I gave a talk about "giving Siri arms and legs" - in other words, being able to use Apple's intelligent assistant to control your surroundings by voice. Today at CES 2015, iDevices announced a HomeKit-enabled product called the iDevices Switch, a Bluetooth Smart and Wi-Fi compatible wall plug that's expected to ship in the first half of the year.
While iOS-controllable switches are nothing new, the Switch - through HomeKit - provides the first way to use Siri to control home devices with voice commands. Sure, you can use Siri and IFTTT to mash up voice controls, but the Switch takes IFTTT out of the equation. Unlike other devices that require a home hub, iDevices created a custom cloud for Switch so a costly hub is not needed.
The Switch is controlled through the iDevices Connected app, which allows creation of commands to control multiple devices. Imagine being able to shut off a number of lights in your home with just one command - "Siri, Goodnight". The app can be personalized with pictures of rooms or products to make navigation of the UI easier.
In case you're wondering why iDevices sounds familiar, it's the company that created the iGrill, which was one of the first app-enabled devices released way back in 2011. At this time, no price point has been announced for the iDevices Switch.
