Apple Stores Begin Selling the First HomeKit-connected Thermostat

[RaduTyrsina]

We've seen the first wave of HomeKit products appear on the market in the beginning of June, and now it seems that Apple's online and brick-and-mortar stores have started selling ecobee3, the first Internet-connected thermostat which is compatible with Apple's iOS-based HomeKit framework.

The Ecobee3 costs $249 and is widely regarded as a very good alternative to Nest's thermostat. The device can detect a home's temperature and sense when there is a person inside and then adjusts heating and cooling accordingly. With some additional sensors, the thermostat can detect the temperature and presence in other rooms of a house, as well.

The Ecobee3 version Apple is selling adds HomeKit support, which means it can be controlled by Siri. At the moment HomeKit is limited to HVAC and lighting fixtures but future implementations could include door locks, alarm systems, garage doors and more.

Source: TheVerge