UPDATE: Apple spokesperson Trudi Muller released a statement refuting the reports and confirming the first HomeKit product launches are still on track for June.
She wrote: “HomeKit [certification] has been available for just a few months and we
already have dozens of partners who have committed to bringing HomeKit
accessories to market and we’re looking forward to the first ones coming
next month.”
Original report is below.
Apple’s long-awaited HomeKit platform may not launch until late summer at the earliest, according to reports on Thursday.
Fortune sources say Apple is postponing the planned May/June timeframe, while it works to optimise the platform to play nice with smaller, battery powered devices.
According to the sources, the code “blew up” meaning it consumed far too much memory to be compatible with those less powerful devices.
Now Apple is reeling everything back in, the prospects of a release announcement at WWDC 2015 seem bleak. Instead, the report suggested, it’ll now be late August or early September, before HomeKit is available to the public.
HomeKit will allow iOS device and Apple Watch owners to control a wide range of compatible domestic appliances, gadgets and connected products from third-party manufacturers. Light bulbs and plugs are already in the works, while future security cameras, thermostats, locks and white goods are also likely to feature HomeKit integration.
HomeKit gadgets will be easy to set up, Apple has said, with all tech simply connected to the home Wi-Fi network. According to speculation, the new Apple TV set-top box, expected to have Siri integration, could also become a central hub for all HomeKit enabled tech.
Read more: Apple TV vs Amazon Fire TV
Cupertino’s ambitions to power the next generation of smart home technology clashes with rivals like Google and Samsung, with all three firms putting together varying propositions. Who do you think will come out on top? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
