19.1 Read the following text, then answer the question: what is Apple HomeKit?
APPLE HOMEKIT
Apple HomeKit is a software framework and communication protocol developed by Apple Inc. that lets users configure, communicate with, and control smart-home appliances using Apple devices. With Apple HomeKit, users can enable automation in the home through a voice command to Siri (Apple’s digital assistant) through the Home app or third party apps. It was the first smart home kit to give the user the opportunity to control all the devices remotely from iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV or hands-free with voice commands.
HomeKit was first introduced on iPhones and iPads on September 17, 2014 and was created to make tasks inside the home easier and provide users with methods and tools to change and adapt certain home capabilities to their specific desires.
■ Home app
The app of HomeKit, called Home app, which unifies all devices into one app, was introduced on iPhones and iPads two years later. HomeKit models the home as a hierarchy of objects and defines a set of terms that refer to them; the Home app uses the HomeKit model and terminology to give people intuitive control of accessories by voice. Some time later, the Home app got a major redesign which made it easier to navigate, and the architecture of the program was rebuilt to be more efficient for users. HomeKit toggles were also added to the Control Center, allowing control over connected devices without having to use Siri or open the Home app. More recently, iOS 18 has brought guest access, hands-free unlocking of locks, and the ability to unlock locks using Express Mode with an iPhone that is out of battery.
■ Extra functionalities
• Apple TV automatically becomes a home hub when HomeKit is installed. Fourth-generation and newer Apple TVs can control HomeKit devices using Siri voice commands.
• HomePod, a powerful speaker which delivers high-fidelity sound, may adapt to whatever it’s playing – or wherever it’s playing – and surrounds people in an immersive audio experience, connecting to the Home app in a very intuitive way.
aperta
Soluzione suggerita: It is a software framework and protocol that lets users configure, communicate with, and control smart-home appliances using Apple devices.