Apple to unveil new smart home platform at WWDC next week

Apple won’t have an exciting new iPhone 6 or an iWatch to show off at its annual Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco next week, but it looks like the company will still have a few tricks up its sleeve. Beyond iOS 8, OS X 10.10 and a mysterious new device, Apple will reportedly unveil a brand new smart home platform, according to a new report.

The Financial Times on Monday reported that Apple is ready to unveil “a new software platform” that will allow iPhone users to control lights, appliances and security systems in their homes. FT’s anonymous sources say that the move is a “big play” that will compete with rival offerings from Google and Samsung, and the solution will be shown off during Apple’s WWDC keynote on June 2nd.

The report notes that Apple’s solution will also include common automation features that are currently found in many similar offerings that are already on the market. For example, the system could be set to automatically turn on several lights when a user gets home and his or her iPhone is detected.

FT doesn’t specify whether or not Apple’s iBeacon technology will be utilized by this new platform.

Apple is reportedly working with several unspecified device makers, which will offer appliances and accessories for the company’s new smart home platform.

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