Since making its debut with the launch of iOS 8 in 2014, Apple Inc.’s HomeKit has been slow in gaining traction in the smart home market. Since announcing in June that Apple HomeKit devices would be going on sale, we have only seen a small number of compatible devices hit the market, but the list is growing.

HomeKit is aiming to assist consumers in creating a smart home, consisting of multiple devices, which is both secure and easy-to-manage. With the recent launch of iOS 9, more compatible devices will be hitting the market over the next few months of 2015 and into 2016. That begs the possibility that more consumers will be turning towards using HomeKit compatible devices to make their homes smarter.

This market snapshot explores the potential of HomeKit dominating the smart home market, some of HomeKit’s key features and some of the compatible devices that are in the pipeline for the rest of the year.

Will Apple HomeKit dominate the smart home market?

We will have to wait and see whether Apple HomeKit will dominate the smart home market or whether consumers will rely on alternative solutions when it comes to embracing the smart home.

Eduardo Pinheiro, CEO of Muzzley, the app that allows you to connect and control various smart home devices, says, “It’s not because of iOS9 that HomeKit will be successful. HomeKit will be successful because Apple’s launching it and the market urgently needs a standard (or a few of them). HomeKit will be successful because they will create an ecosystem with device manufacturers and software developers around it. iOS 9 makes up part of that ecosystem with Siri.” Muzzley is exploring the possibility of being compatible with HomeKit by the end of 2015.

“For the DIY home automation customer, HomeKit will most likely be a front-runner with Amazon and Google close behind,” says myDevices CEO Kevin Bromber.

However, will consumers want to install and maintain their home automation system or would they prefer to rely on a company to do all the work for them?

Bromber says, “Alternatively consumers could choose the “Do It For Me” approach where they simply pay their cable company, security company, wireless provider or local consumer electronic retailer a monthly fee to install, maintain and update a home automation solution.  In the Do It For Me market, HomeKit will most likely not be the platform that these service providers use since Apple is traditionally not an easy partner to work with. In summary, HomeKit probably wins in the DIY space and loses in the Do It For Me space.  In the long run, I believe the Do It For Me market will be the choice that most consumers make especially as solutions get more useful, easier to use and less expensive.”

Simple setup, improved automation and remote access

Simplistic and secure setup

Setting up many smart home devices requires you to jump through multiple hoops and often requires a  variety of different steps, pressing of multiple buttons, opening of apps and connecting via WiFi or Bluetooth. Apple is standardizing the process by allowing you simply to scan a unique code that will be on each HomeKit compatible device, with your iPhone.

This setup will be simpler and more secure, ensuring no one in the vicinity can connect to your devices during setup. Your data will also remain secure in the HomeKit environment, with Apple ensuring your data can’t be sold or shared.

Improved automation

HomeKit allows you to create a scene with the ability to connect and control a variety of devices in that scene with one simple command. With pre-defined scenes, automating what your smart home will do at different stages of the day becomes simple.

Devices and scenes can also run automatically based on new triggers, like the location of your phone that will trigger devices to switch on when you are close to home. Alternatively, devices can be automated according to the local sunrise and sunset times, or specific times during the day.

You can also have one HomeKit compatible device trigger another HomeKit compatible device. For example, set the lights in your kitchen to turn on when you pass by the motion detector in the doorway. Get even more specific and ensure this trigger only happens after sunset.

Access your devices remotely

When you are not at home, it will be easy to access your devices through Apple’s iCloud service, which will support the HomeKit functions. For manufacturers to be compatible with HomeKit, they need to use an approved chipset to ensure hardware security.

“Apple went out on a limb when they forced manufacturers to use a chip that delays production and increases the price, although, it was a smart move as they will soon be able to own the cloud and provide a seamless integration with HomeKit, solving critical problems such as initial setup. The setup, however, brought delays on the advancement of the HomeKit, as manufacturers needed to produce new product releases of their products to include their chip,” says Pinheiro.

HomeKit compatible devices expected to grow

The catalogue of HomeKit compatible products may be small, but the expectation is that it will continue to grow over the rest of 2015, with a likely surge of compatible devices at CES 2016, starting on January 6.

HomeKit-combatable products that we can expect to see over the coming weeks and months include a connected WiFi outlet from ConnectSense that started shipping on October 1.

Schlage is due to ship their door lock, controllable by Siri voice control or touch screen keypad, in November. We are also likely to see August locks and the Chamberlain garage door opener making an appearance.

Royal Philips have confirmed that the will be supporting Apple HomeKit for its iPhone-controlled lighting system, Philips Hue. Leaks earlier this month have shown they have already created a “Hue bridge” that will allow their existing Hue products to be compatible with Apple’s HomeKit platform.

We will also see products from Honeywell International Inc., including their Lyric thermostat and their Lynx Touch Security System making the list of HomeKit compatible devices.

“HomeKit will boost the smart home even though the smart home is not yet mainstream, and there are still unsolved problems in the industry, like the high cost of connected devices. I believe 2017 will be the year that we will assist the boost of the smart home where all the current problems for the user will be solved. It’s when the industry will be ready for the mainstream user, meaning that’s when the consumer will finally enter the new IoT era,” says Pinheiro.

Time will tell which other companies will make their products compatible with Apple HomeKit and whether established systems will make the move over.

Screenshot: SiliconANGLE via Apple