Apple reportedly working on smart home features for iPhone 6

A key part of the iPhone 6 experience will be integrated smart-home features, reports the Financial Times. The new phone will ship with the latest iOS 8 update that will feature an interface designed to easily control home lighting, security systems, central heating and other such applications.

Suggested examples are of your lights turning on automatically when you enter your home. How this would work isn’t yet clear but a combination of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC are expected to be used. This would make the iPhone 6 the first Apple phone to integrate NFC.

Exactly how the system will work is not yet clear but the report suggests third party manufacturers will be able to apply for approval in much the same way as dock and case manufacturers sign up to the Made for iPhone program.

As well as home-automation, iOS 8 – which will debut on the iPhone 6 – is expected to feature a host of health and well-being applications, again likely offering a consistent interface for third party manufacturers to integrate with.

The software is expected to be unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference on 2nd June, with the latest iPhone following in September/October time.