Last week
Unfortunately for Apple, while the connected car is a cool idea, it's one of those initiatives that, at least initially, is more about buzz than bottom line. Sure, the company may be drive some software licensing revenue and additional iPhone demand by pairing up with some of the best car makers in the world, but for a company whose lofty market cap is based on expectations of introducing entirely new categories of hardware every few years, it's not exactly what investors were hoping for when Tim Cook talked about about new products in 2014.
But have faith Apple fans, because there are good chances that Apple's car efforts could tie together with future products, whether they are a smart-home centric Apple TV or a wearable. As I've written before, I believe Apple has a long game of tying together different parts of a person's life by integrating its current products and future ones more deeply into their environment.
Others Are Doing It Already
The integration of the car into the smart home is already under way elsewhere, as just this past week, iControl, one of the largest smart home service providers in the world (iControl powers
Another company, Life360, integrated its location sharing app with BMW last year, and in December announced integration with The Duchossois Group, who plans to tie Life360's location-awareness capabilities to things like its line of garage door openers and access control products.
What could these partnerships mean? Imagine your connected car notifying your smart home hub of its imminent arrival, which could turn on heating or lights and, as your roll into the driveway, open your garage door. It could also mean ensuring your front doors are locked and lights are turned off when you leave. Connected car integration could even mean your smart home hub can surface car diagnostics information in your smart home dashboard, or even transfer Spotify stations or music downloaded the night before at home.
Apple's Got All The Pieces
It's these high-level integrations that I think Apple could excel at if it enters the smart home, which indications are it will. By tying together the iPhone, a revamped Apple TV and possible iWatch together with smart home awareness based on location and contextual awareness, Apple could create some powerful new products and services for consumers. I can imagine Apple even integrating iBeacon technology into the home as a way to sense and interact with wearables as the connected car.
So keep your eyes on the road, as Apple may offer some new products that tie the connected car and the smart home in the not too distant future.
Michael Wolf is a smart home analyst. To stay smart on smart home, read his blog, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his newsletter.
