Skip to main content

Apple tries again with HomeKit with smart home division reorganization

It’s no secret that Apple has not had much success in the smart home market. The company wants to change that, of course, and is reorganizing its smart home efforts to turn its fortunes around, Bloomberg reported on Monday, October 28.

The team is headed by former Mozilla Chief Technology Officer Andreas Gal, who joined Apple after his company, Silk Labs, was acquired in 2018. Apple has also hired new managers and engineers from Amazon, Qualcomm, and other companies over the past several months, and has posted at least 15 new job postings since September to work under Gal.

Apple Homepod
Greg Mombert/Digital Trends

Bloomberg says the team will focus on revamping the platform to make it more attractive to device manufacturers, who often add Apple’s HomeKit platform as an afterthought, if at all. Also, work will begin on developing and possibly building smart home devices beyond the HomePod speaker, Apple’s lone smart home device.

Recommended Videos

Such a move wouldn’t be surprising. Amazon is doing something similar: after years of building just Alexa-enabled home speakers, it now offers devices ranging from headphones to microwaves with Alexa support built-in.

Righting the ship when it comes to the smart home is vital to HomeKit’s long-term success. While Apple’s smartphone technology has been around since 2014 on its line of smart devices, the HomePod speaker only launched early last year after multiple delays, and at a price far above the prices of its competitors.

The high prices scared off consumers — and probably device makers, too, who chose to focus on building Alexa-enabled devices instead. The difference is stark: while Apple lists 450 devices on its website as being compatible with HomeKit, Google claims compatibility with 10,000 devices, and Amazon a staggering 85,000.

Part of the reason for the wide disparity may be Apple’s stricter specifications for working with the company’s platforms: both Google and Amazon place fewer restrictions on using their platforms. It is not clear if a strategy change will be part of Apple’s plans to revitalize its smart home efforts.

Either way, there is room for a lot of improvement. According to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, Apple’s HomePod speaker has only a 5% market share, far behind Google’s 20% and Amazon’s 70%.

Ed Oswald
For fifteen years, Ed has written about the latest and greatest in gadgets and technology trends. At Digital Trends, he's…
The best smart home tech of IFA 2024
The IFA 100 sign outside the South Hall in Berlin.

IFA 2024 is in full swing, with cutting-edge companies across the globe showing off their hottest new releases. The smart home industry is out in force at the event, with hundreds of cool products spread out across the massive show grounds. From robot vacuums and smart refrigerators to robot lawnmowers and more, the future of your home is on display at IFA 2024.

After perusing hundreds of booths and going hands-on with tons of different electronics, here are the best smart home products of IFA 2024.
Roborock Qrevo Curv

Read more
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) vs. Amazon Smart Thermostat: Which is best for your home?
The Amazon Smart Thermostat.

Smart thermostats are an easy way to upgrade your home's heating and cooling skills, and few products are as popular as the Amazon Smart Thermostat and Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen). The two offer many of the same basic features, though you'll find a handful of drastic differences between the devices -- starting with their price tag.

From pricing and design to installation and available features, here's a closer look at the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) and Amazon Smart Thermostat to help you decide which is better for your smart home.
Pricing and design

Read more
Upgrade your dorm with these smart home gadgets
The Echo Spot on a nightstand.

Summer is winding down, and students across the country are heading back to school. If you're heading to college, that means you're probably worried about getting your dorm room prepped for the year. That's often the most stressful part of returning to campus, as not only does your space need to be comfortable enough for all your studying, but it doubles as your home away from home. For those reasons, you'll want it to be functional, versatile, and capable of keeping you entertained when you're not hitting the books.

Thankfully, there are a bunch of smart home devices for your dorm that can turn even the tiniest and oldest of spaces into a futuristic oasis. From smart speakers and smart bulbs to smart plugs and more, here are a few smart home products that are perfect for your college dorm.
Smart light bulbs

Read more