5 Things Apple Can Bring to the Smart Home

We're a week away from Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), and the rumors are in full force. Today's report from the Financial Times that the company will aggressively enter the nascent field of the "Internet of Things" (IoT) with a proprietary smart home platform is the most solid rumor to date about what Apple will focus on at its annual software opus.

The news makes sense. Putting aside Google's game-changing acquisition of Nest, which took competition in the IoT space to a new level, Apple was already moving in this direction. With iBeacon technology, Apple has already begun leveraging the iPhone as a device that interacts with its environment as opposed to a digital window that only comes alive when you're using it. In CarPlay, Apple already has a platform for extending apps to other devices. And the rumored iWatch will combine both concepts in a device that's even more personal than a smartphone. Read more...