Apple could reveal Smart Home plans at WWDC

Apple may be planning on using its upcoming Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) to announce a move into the Smart Home, with one report suggesting the company is looking to expand out from phones and laptops

According to the Financial Times, Apple will announce a move into the “internet of things” on the 2nd of June, in an effort to compete with Google which recently announced a similar move with the $3.2bn purchase of Nest Labs.

Apple has apparently been speaking to a number of smart home device manufacturers, discussion certification for the company’s new smart home system, and is reportedly planning on selling such devices in Apple stores – much as it does now with third party headphones and speaker docks.

The report seemingly backs up rumours that Apple is looking to integrate Near Field Communications (NFC) technology into the iPhone 6, although whether the new handset will also be revealed at WWDC remains to be seen.

The new system would reportedly allow users to turn their lights on automatically when coming home with an iPhone in their pocket, or automatically play music when an iPhone is detected joining the home network. It’s possible Apple’s existing iBeacon technology will be used to power the system, meaning it would be exclusive to Apple devices like the iPhone and iPad.

We won’t know for sure until Apple makes it’s announcement on the 2nd of June. We’ll be covering WWDC in full, so be sure to check back to find out the latest news as we get it.