New smart home experience: Touch your iPhone to turn on the lights

Beijing time, November 4th morning news, Broadcom and Texas Instruments have launched Bluetooth and WiFi chips installed with Apple's HomeKit firmware, which means that the first batch of HomeKit-supported devices will be on the shelves soon.

"Everyone is ready and we expect to see new products in the next product release cycle," said Brian Bedrosian, senior director of embedded wireless technologies in Broadcom's mobile and wireless division.

Specifically, Broadcom will launch HomeKit chips for so-called "smart home" device manufacturers for lighting, air conditioning, cameras, door locks, etc. Although specific data has not yet been announced, the company's chips are said to support both Bluetooth and WiFi.

Although Apple is still developing the HomeKit protocol, once the final configuration is determined, products that use the protocol will be easily upgraded.

Apple launched HomeKit at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June this year. This framework integrated into the iOS8 system allows iPhone and iPad users to communicate data with smart home products and control these products.

For users who own multiple smart home products, perhaps the most exciting thing about HomeKit is that it can serve as a configuration and control platform. Currently, many automated home products require dedicated applications, resulting in a fragmented user experience. But with HomeKit, users can freely control various devices in an inclusive ecosystem.

Consumers will likely see more HomeKit-enabled hardware in the coming months as HomeKit-compatible chips become available. In fact, August smart locks that are compatible with the platform are already available at Apple retail stores around the world.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.