I think it’s sometimes easy for geeks to forget that we live in a tech bubble with our fellow geeks. Many of us here have been using smart home technology for more than a decade now, some even for many decades.
I’ve seen a lot of bemused comments on the Apple Home Collection, with people asking why anyone would want to pay significantly higher prices for devices which don’t seem to offer any added benefit. But I think this is absolutely a bubble effect …
HomeKit was a start, but not enough
In the very early days, smart home technology involved a great deal of soldering and programming. The tech gradually grew more accessible and fully wireless devices controlled by smartphones was the first major step change. All the same, configuring new devices was far from trivial, initially requiring a whole bunch of companion apps for products made by different manufacturers.
Apple’s attempt to change all this was HomeKit. The idea was that everything could be configured and controlled via a single app, with the HomeKit label guaranteeing compatibility. It also brought voice control to devices which previously required us to use an app.
The reality was still rather different from the vision, however. Some HomeKit devices still needed to be initially configured using a third-party app before they would appear in Apple’s Home app. Some of the setup processes made me feel like an unpaid network engineer.
Additionally, relatively few manufacturers bothered to make HomeKit-compatible products. Both the Amazon Alexa and Google Home ecosystems were far more commercially successful.
Matter and Thread helped
The launch of the Matter and Thread standards helped significantly. It meant manufacturers only had to support these new industry standards in order to ensure compatibility with each of the three big smart home ecosystems.
Matter also enabled a simpler setup process, again helping to make the technology more accessible to the mass market. Once more, however, the practical impact was limited.
Apple Home Collection
Many techies have been wondering what all the fuss is about with the Apple Home Collection. There are no new product categories, and there are equivalent but lower-cost options for each of the new devices.
But for non-geeks, the setup process really is completely different. Essentially, Apple has made configuring one of these devices as simple as pairing a new set of AirPods. Just like AirPods, you need only bring one of the new devices close to your iPhone, with CNET’s Ajay Kumar commenting on just how simple it appears to be.
I watched an Apple representative instantly find, pair and register a new smart home device on both her phone and the HomeView as she carried on a casual conversation with me, not missing a beat. Everything was managed through the Apple Home app. It seemed to work like pairing new AirPods or a HomePod. I didn’t have time to dig into the process before being shepherded to the next demo, but what I saw was one of the most compelling things I’ve seen in the smart home world: an easy, intuitive setup.
We shouldn’t underestimate just what a big difference this will make to normal people. I have definitely had non-tech friends be impressed by my smart home, but none of them rushed out to emulate it. I really do think this is going to represent the next step in mass market adoption.
If you’re a normie who likes the idea of a smart home but has been put off by the apparent complexity, I think we may now have reached the point where many are willing to make the leap.
That’s my view; how about yours? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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