Apple’s no newbie to the market, of course.
HomeKit, the company’s smart home framework, has
been around since 2014, and though it was slow to
take off, a few key changes have helped it become more
popular as the years have gone on.
That said, there’s a lot of competition in the smart
home arena, which can mean extra complications
when the field is growing so fast: fragmentation,
problems with interoperability, and so on. But, in a
rare move for Apple, it seems as though the company
is moving to combat those problems head on... by
working with others.CHoIPs
In December 2019, Apple announced that it would be
joining major smart home players like Amazon, Google
and the Zigbee Alliance (which itself includes several
big companies, such as Sony, Samsung SmartThings,
IKEA, and Signify) to create a new industry working
group, the Project Connected Home Over IP. Though
the name may be about as resonant as a mouthful
of marbles, the idea behind it is sound: unify the
frameworks used for controlling smart home tech so
that devices work better together.
Unlike some existing smart home tech systems, the
Connected Home project – as its name suggests – will
be built on top of the existing Internet Protocol (IP)
system, in other words the way most technological
devices already communicate. In theory, that could
help reduce the need for intermediary hub devices, as
well as enable more peer-to-peer connections among
devices themselves. And because the project uses techApple’snonewbietothemarket,ofcourse.
HomeKit,thecompany’ssmarthomeframework,has
beenaroundsince2014,andthoughitwasslowto
take off,afewkeychangeshavehelpeditbecomemore
popularastheyearshavegoneon.
Thatsaid,there’salotofcompetitioninthesmart
homearena,whichcanmeanextracomplications
when thefieldisgrowingsofast:fragmentation,
problemswithinteroperability,andsoon.But,ina
raremoveforApple,itseemsasthoughthecompany
ismovingtocombatthoseproblemsheadon...by
workingwithothers.
CHoIPs
InDecember2019,Appleannouncedthatitwouldbe
joiningmajorsmarthomeplayerslikeAmazon,Google
andtheZigbeeAlliance(whichitselfincludesseveral
bigcompanies,suchasSony,SamsungSmartThings,
IKEA,andSignify)tocreateanewindustryworking
group,the ProjectConnectedHomeOverIP.Though
thenamemaybeaboutasresonantasamouthful
ofmarbles,theideabehinditissound:unifythe
frameworksusedforcontrollingsmarthometechso
thatdevicesworkbettertogether.
Unlikesomeexistingsmarthometechsystems,the
ConnectedHomeproject–asitsnamesuggests–will
bebuiltontopoftheexistingInternetProtocol(IP)
system,inotherwordsthewaymosttechnological
devicesalreadycommunicate.Intheory,thatcould
helpreducetheneedforintermediaryhubdevices,as
wellasenablemorepeer-to-peerconnectionsamong
devicesthemselves.Andbecausetheprojectusestech