The Apple Watch has no shortage of apps right now, and even though they’re running late (read: slow), companies keep updating their native iOS apps to support the new formerly known as iWatch device. The Apple Watch is a great first edition and thousands of people agree with that statement. A new company, Essence, has fallen in line and has today updated its iOS app, WeR@Home with Apple Watch support to ease in to the wearable market.
Even though there are already hundreds of Apple Watch apps from the big ones, smaller companies are also developing for Watch OS and thus helping the platform grow. We’re most curious about the iWatch of next year, the Apple Watch 2016 if I may, because while this year’s timepiece is a great new launch from Apple, the company can do much more and promised to do much better in the future.
WeR@Home is a home automation platform and security system which has been available for iOS devices for quite some time now. Those iOS users who already have the app should update it if they don’t have automatic app updates enabled, because the new version adds a lot of new functions to the Apple Watch. With the Apple Watch WeR@Home app, users will be able to arm and disarm their systems through the watch, as well as receive notifications about their homes, control the Z-Wave home automation and energy management devices that they’ve hooked up to the system, as well as create personalized shortcuts for various functions within the app.
One of the big advantages of the Apple Watch and smart watches in general is that they can be of great help when it comes to home automation and the general concept of a smart home. Because they have NFC chips and proximity sensor, and are authorized by your phone through a Bluetooth connection and such, they can perform the tasks that you would have to do with your phone. You can unlock hotel doors with just your Apple Watch, which means you don’t even need a keycard. That sounds pretty neat, doesn’t it? Add Essence home automation and the WeR@Home app to the mix, and you’ve got yourself the home of the future.