Darrell Etherington at TechCrunch:
The company is planning a platform that would turn its iOS devices, including the iPhone, to control their smart home devices, doing things like controlling lights, security systems and connected appliances. This platform would be built into the iPhone, centralizing control rather than spreading it over multiple third-party apps, the FT says, and it’ll be shown off at WWDC next week.
Broken by the Financial Times (registration required), this particular rumour feels pretty legit, with a few high profile backers.
I really do like the idea of a standard interface through which all these lights, switches and other doodads can be operated (and hopefully talk to each other, too).
There was a claim in the FT report that I found a little odd:
A similar set of technologies will soon be extended to other parts of the home such as security systems, lighting and appliances – perhaps with the addition of a new component, near-field communication. Analysts expect NFC to be built into the next iPhone, as part of Apple’s rumoured plans for a new payments service.
NFC finally coming to the iPhone? I think I’ll believe that when I see it.