The Homekit-supported version of the Ecobee 3 smart thermostat that was announced officially last month is now available in Apple’s Stores across North America. Ecobee becomes the first thermostat that works on the basis of smart appliance platform.
Akin to Nest’s Flagship Smartphone, the Ecobee3 smart thermostat lets consumers make adjustments to the heating and cooling systems in their houses using Siri. It carries a price tag of $250. Unlike a stereotype thermostat, the Ecobee3 is typified by a 320X480 full-color LCD for its controls.
With the availability of HomeKit integration, Ecobee3 users can depend on Siri for making simple alterations without any necessity to use the built-in controls at all.
With an additional sensor, customers can make the Ecobee3 smarter. The principal utility factor of Ecobee 3 is that it contains a remote sensor that monitors the room temperature in the house and determines the occupancy rate of inmates of the house as well. Further, it enables users to manage room temperature from a remote distance using simple commands.
Any product that is shored up with HomeKit can be managed by Siri and segmented into scenes that facilitate a home to be swiftly set into certain states – be it arriving home, watching a film, or going to a bed.
Stuart Lombar, Ecobee’s President and CEO said that with the installation of thermostat at houses, one is at advantage as it is cost-friendly and heating and cooling costs will come down by 23 %.
Although there are not many HomeKit compatible products in the market, still a vast number of products are at the development stage and will start trickling in near future. Apple’s exhibited platform offers terrific opportunities to those who are good buyers and intend to spruce up the proceedings with HomeKit-connected products.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is taking steps to make HomeKit easier through providing iCloud support to HomeKit in iOS 9 and making HomeKIit support indigenous in the upcoming version of the Apple Watch.