Until now, we haven't really been able to make use of HomeKit, Apple's smart-home platform. But iDevices, a Connecticut-based company that develops apps and Bluetooth products, revealed one of the first HomeKit-compatible tools at CES on Monday. It's called Switch, and it quite literally acts as a switch for household products, like lamps and humidifiers.
Switch is essentially a wall power outlet that connects to the Internet. Once the Switch is plugged into the existing outlet, the user then plugs a household product (for this example, we'll say Christmas lights) into the Switch.
After that, the user can control the Christmas lights via the Switch app, so it's easy to toggle the lights on or off with a virtual switch. And thanks to HomeKit, the app is compatible with Siri, so theoretically all a user would have to do is announce "Turn on the Christmas lights," and the lights would pop on.
Here's a video that better shows how it works.
According to iDevices, there will also be remote access, so users can tap into the Switch from any device anywhere. It's also possible to personalize the app. So, for example, you could upload a photo of your living room to be shown in the interface.
iHome, another Apple accessory manufacturer, is debuting a similar tool called the SmartPlug, but there's not a ton of info about it yet.
The Verge reports that the Switch will go on sale in the first half of 2015 for $50. That might be a bit steep for a wall outlet, but at least you'd be one of the first people to control your home with Siri.
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