As part of the Google family, it’s no wonder that Nest hasn’t been all too keen on joining Apple’s HomeKit platform. But now, it seems as though the smart-device maker could be having a change of heart, as the company apparently told 9to5Mac that it’s “at least considering adopting HomeKit.”
In response to a direct question about whether or not Nest would weigh its options after Apple announced that iOS 11 would make it a lot easier for other products to add support to HomeKit, a Nest spokesperson said that the company is “open to supporting” the platform and would “consider HomeKit.” Indeed, as we reported earlier, Apple’s updates to its latest operating system will no longer require developers to integrate an authentication chip when developing with HomeKit, nor will developers need an MFi license to control connected device prototypes.
Of course, iOS 11 hasn’t dropped quite yet, but it will soon be made available — timing is slated for the fall, just before the highly anticipated HomePod Siri speaker, which serves as an answer to Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Google Home.
Already, HomeKit includes support for all products Nest offers, including the firm’s security cameras, thermostats, and smoke and fire detectors. And later in the year, Apple is planning on adding support for a whole host of other smart products, too, including sprinklers and faucets. This will ultimately bring the number of product types the platform supports to 16, as HomeKit currently supports garage doors, window shades, security devices, humidifiers, air conditioners, locks, air purifiers, lights, outlets, fans, cameras, and doorbells.
So if you’re looking to give your home a smart makeover, this fall could be the time to do it. And now that Apple is playing nice with everyone, you could just turn to the iEmpire for your own empire.
