Bosch Siemens Hausgeräte (BSH) presents the Home Connect automation app at the IFA 2014 Global Press Conference-- a first app of its kind able to control connected appliances from multiple brands.
Created as an open home control platform, the Home Connect app connects to appliances and the internet via wifi, with mobile networks allowing for remote connectivity. The company does not detail how granular appliance control is (beyond simple on/off commands), but the IFA presentation shows appliances switching on automatically at times when electricity rates are cheapest.
BSH also plans to pair HomeConnect with other home control systems, before integrating it into a larger automation service.
The iOS version of Home Connect should be initially available Germany on September following launch at IFA 2014. An Android version should hit the market by early 2015, while global rollout takes place later during the year.
