Apple is opening HomeKit to developers (AAPL)

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June 9, 2017 2:31 PM

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Apple is taking steps to open up its HomeKit smart home ecosystem to developers, reports The Verge.

Making it easier for developers and device makers to create HomeKit-compatible devices could be important for Apple as it continues to grow its smart home ecosystem:

It lowers the barrier of entry for device makers. Smart home device makers no longer need to include a dedicated authentication chip for their device to work with HomeKit. Instead, these companies will be able to authenticate their devices with Apple wholly through software. This could enable companies that currently make smart home devices that aren't compatible with HomeKit to bring those devices into Apple’s ecosystem without needing to change production at all — a much more palatable option.

It encourages developer innovation. Apple will let any registered developer build HomeKit devices — but unless these devices are licensed and authenticated, they can’t be sold. This will let developers use all sorts of hardware to test out HomeKit devices, tinkering for either personal or business reasons. Making it easier to build devices that work in its ecosystem should set the stage for the growth and innovation of the ecosystem.

The new policy deviates from Apple’s tendency to be very hands-on with how developers and device makers interact with Apple products and services. However, it could indicate that the company is wary of staying on the right side of developers in the nascent connected home industry. This makes sense since, in many ways, Apple is trailing behind competitors, like Amazon and Google, which are forging ahead with a more developer-friendly open ecosystem approach.

The US smart home market has still yet to meet the expectations many observers had in the early part of this decade. The same issues BI Intelligence first identified back in 2015 still plague the space — persistently high prices, technological fragmentation, and consumers' lack of a perceived benefit from the devices.

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