At CES 2018, home appliances maker Whirlpool has announced that more than twenty of its products will be able to be easily controlled through your Apple Watch in early 2018.
This will be accomplished via Whirlpool’s new watchOS app that will let you remotely control certain functions of several Wi-Fi-connected appliances, like washers, dryers and ovens.
Whirlpool’s provided some examples of the controls you’ll be able to access via Apple Watch:
- Oven: Consumers will be able to see the current oven status and control commands during an active cycle.
- Washer: Alongside status updates, users can control the wash options of an active cycle. Whether it be a normal wash, delicates or brights, users can adjust an active cycle on the fly via their Apple Watch.
- Dryer: Consumers can control and detect if a cycle has started, understanding how much time remains before the cycle is complete.
While this is clearly good news for Apple Watch users, it still isn’t exactly the integration many are looking for because HomeKit, Apple’s framework for the connected home, has yet to add support for kitchen appliances.
Unlike Amazon Alexa, you cannot use Siri or HomeKit to control ovens, washers or other appliances. Personally, I think it would be quire useful to ask my HomePod to preheat the oven to 350º.
Apple’s been adding new categories to HomeKit regularly so here’s hoping we’ll see announcements of new HomeKit-compatible accessory types later this year at WWDC 2018.
Keep up-to-date with iDownloadBlog’s latest CES 2018 coverage.