Apple has removed Google’s Nest thermostat from its online and retail stores as the world’s first Apple HomeKit-compatible smart thermostat ecobee3 goes on sale. Searching for Nest on Apple’s online store now reveals HomeKit-enabled devices, ecobee3 being one of them.

Designed for homes with more than one room, the Wi-Fi connected ecobee3 thermostat measures temperature and occupancy in multiple locations, so it knows which rooms are occupied to deliver the right temperature in the right places. And it knows whether someone’s home to help you save energy and money when you’re away.

It intuitively understands when to turn on your heating or cooling equipment based on your home’s unique energy profile and the weather outside

Toronto-based ecobee promises that ecobee3 customers save an average of 23% on their heating and cooling costs.

ecobee3 features a 3.5″ full-color LCD touchscreen, 320 x 480 pixel display with intuitive iconography and controls.

It comes with 1 free remote sensor that measures temperature and occupancy. You can have up to 32 sensors. The more you add, the smarter your Ecobee3 becomes.

In addition, you can monitor and control your ecobee3 thermostat anytime and from anywhere, using your smartphone, tablet or computer.

Get ecobee3 from Amazon for $249.

HomeKit is Apple’s developer kit to enable communication between home appliances and iOS devices. Apple TV is said to be the center of Apple’s smart home, especially while using remote commands via Siri.

Check out other HomeKit-enabled devices.

Learn more on Apple TV’s role in the HomeKit ecosystem: 

• Here is how Apple TV will work with HomeKit devices
• Apple now accepting HomeKit product plans from smart home device makers
• New beta turns Apple TV into the master of HomeKit
• IoT for everyone: Apple HomeKit vs. Google Brillo

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Some people enjoy learning about communication protocols like Bluetooth Mesh and Z-Wave and Zigbee and Insteon and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low-Energy and Thread.

Most people, however, didn’t finish that sentence. They cursed the author (that’s me) and bounced to the next paragraph (this one), hoping to find a sentence without so much Latinate gibberish and hyphenated brand names. Most people don’t have time to waste. And that’s why other people invented automated home technologies, like internet-connected security cameras and soil-sensing dishwashers.

Introducing Google Brillo & Apple HomeKit

And Brillo. Brillo is spelled and pronounced the same way as the soap-impregnated scouring pad we all know and love, but it’s owned by Google. Brillo is a home automation platform for the Internet of Things.

Wait. The Internet of what? The Internet of Things (IoT) is a catchphrase describing a semi-autonomous machine-to-machine data communications network. It doesn’t exist in any empirical way, just in a philosophical sense. “Home automation,” says Mike Elgan of ComputerWorld, “is the domestic, consumer wing of the IoT.”

But Brillo is not the only home automation platform in the market. In fact, it’s late to the game. In summer 2014, at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple introduced HomeKit, its proprietary home automation platform. Will Google usurp what Apple started?

Product Aims & Goals

Brillo could be one of two things. It could be Google’s next nefarious step toward world domination. Or, it could be the belated fruition of Android@Home, Google’s home automation platform announced in 2011 and promptly eaten by the dog.

In techno-speak, Brillo is a “scrubbed down” (pardon the pun) version of the Android operating system designed to run on low-power devices with RAM as low as 32 megabytes. It synchronizes devices using a new cross-platform schema called Weave. Support is built-in for Android and, yes, iOS products.

HomeKit, meanwhile, keeps it all in the family. It’s only compatible with Apple-certified third-party devices like the Insteon Hub and Belkin WeMo sensors. Here’s how it works: Every network, device and function has a name (e.g. Home – Radio – Maximize Volume). Homeowners can create “groups” or “scenes” in which devices pair up. In “Theater Scene,” for instance, the lights would dim, the television activate, and the oven set to “pizza preheat.”

Compatible Products

Brillo is compatible with …

…

We’ll get back to you once Brillo is released to developers in Q3 2015. For now, Google promises that upcoming Nest thermostats and smoke alarms will use Weave. Google will likely push Brillo onto OEM hardware manufacturers, possibly for free.

But Apple has the headstart. The first HomeKit-compatible products hit the shelves the first week of June 2015. Products currently or soon-to-be available include the iHome iSP5 SmartPlug, Lutron Caseta Wireless Lighting and the Elgato Eve Door and Window Sensor. Additionally, many home security tools – whether they’re professionally-installed devices from ADT, or part of a DIY system like Home Depot’s Wink or Lowe’s Iris – have the potential to link with Apple’s connected framework. Many of these devices were first released in Europe, where Apple enjoys greater market penetration.

Hub Requirements

Google is avoiding any central app or hub for Brillo or Weave, since both labor behind the scenes (Nest has remained silent on the issue). However, using the Weave API, developers can craft their own apps for third-party devices that run Weave and that may or may not run on Brillo. Eventually, Google wants to release voice command functionality for Brillo.

Reports heavily suggest that Apple intends to make the Apple TV a hub for HomeKit. After signing into their Apple TV using their Apple Sign-On ID, homeowners can use Siri voice commands to lock doors, control lights, activate coffee pots, or set daily schedules for such devices. Of course, most HomeKit devices will be controlled through an iOS smartphone app as well.

Both Google Brillo and Apple HomeKit are means to an end: a home where machines talk, where coffee makers brew quantities according to foot traffic and radios choose music stations based on the nearest smartphone. All they need is language.

Read more on Apple TV’s role in HomeKit and device compatibility.

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The first batch of HomeKit enabled smart devices went up for order yesterday. Correspondingly, Apple released a support document to help early users get started with HomeKit. And thanks to the document, we now know more about Apple TV’s role in HomeKit.

Like we reported earlier, an Apple TV will be integral to your smart home setup, if you need to control devices while away from home. Here is what Apple says:

“Control your accessories away from home
If you have an Apple TV (3rd generation or later) with software version 7.0 or later, you can control your HomeKit-enabled accessories when you’re away from home using your iOS device.

Sign in with the same Apple ID on your iOS device and Apple TV, and you’ll be able to use Siri commands to remotely control your accessories.“

You will be able to control your HomeKit-enabled accessories remotely via their apps itself. However, if you need to use Siri to control them while away, then an Apple TV is a must. Once you sign into your Apple TV and the iOS device using the same Apple ID, you can start commanding your digital minions, wherever you are.

It is also clear now that you can create groups within the HomeKit setup, like lights, fans, thermostat etc. and also based on rooms and areas, so that commands like “Hey Siri, turn down the heat in the living room” does what is expected.

We earlier believed that only the refreshed version of Apple TV 3 (A1469) would be compatible with the new OS and carry HomeKit, but Apple confirms that any Apple TV 3 running software version 7.0 or above are capable. Any iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch with iOS 8.1 or later will be able to take smart-home commands as well.

Apple mentions the compatible Apple TV as “3rd gen or above” which seems to be a cheeky hint to the Apple TV 4 which is expected to be announced next week.

Apple HomeKit support document is an interesting read. And if you are planning to buy some HomeKit devices, check out the first ones or the Apple’s dedicated sub site.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Apple TV, as reported earlier, will most probably perform a central role in integrating Apple’s HomeKit “Internet of Things” platform, especially while using remote commands via Siri. Owners of compatible Apple TVs would be happy to learn that they will soon be able to turn their homes smart, thanks to the first wave of smart devices announced yesterday.

It seems that Apple had placed some sort of restriction on companies to withhold their products till June 2, since five companies announced HomeKit devices yesterday simultaneously. This date would be perfect since the new Apple TV 4, its new operating system and new HomeKit features are expected to be announced on Monday, at the WWD 2015.

Here are all the HomeKit accessories that are available now:

1. Caseta Wireless Lighting Starter Kit from Lutron

It includes the Caseta Wireless Smart Bridge, 2 dimmers, 2 remotes and 2 pedestals. The Smart Bridge which could earlier be only controlled via their app, got a refresh to add HomeKit support. Now you can directly use Siri to turn off or dim the Lutron lights, wherever you are.

The kit is available on Amazon for $229.95 or you can get the Smart Bridge only for $119.95

2. Elgato Eve

Eve is a series of devices packed with sensors to monitor the quality of your home environment. Eve Weather checks for the temperature and pressure, while the Eve Door and Windows tells you if they are open or closed. Eve Room is the indoor guy who senses volatile organic compounds to keep track temperature and humidity.

Available on Amazon, starting at $40.

3. ecoBee3 Smart Thermostat

“Ordinary thermostats read the temperature in only one room, but are supposed to deliver comfort in all rooms. ecobee3 remote sensors deliver the right temperature in the rooms that matter most.”

Preorder it now for $229.

4. iHome iSP5 SmartPlug

This is the simplest of all today’s announcements. This is just a smart plug which can toggle on or off based on your needs. So you can connect just about any device to the outlet and remotely control it.

It will be up for preorder from June 15.

5. Insteon Hub

On the more complex side, this one is just a hub for other devices to connect to simplify the process of home automation. You can pair multiple HomeKit devices to it, from various rooms, offices, and houses and control all of them via a single app on your iPhone.

You can order it now for $79.99

Read more on Apple TV’s role in HomeKit and device compatibility.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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