Apple Releases Open-Source Version of HomeKit ADK

Apple has released an open-source version of HomeKit Accessory Development Kit (ADK). Now, anyone can fork it on GitHub and use for integrating smart home devices in the Home app.

This step is taken in order to take Apple a step ahead in the Project Connected Home Over IP.  The project where all the top tech brands like Google, Amazon, and Apple are putting efforts to build an open-source smart home standard. Meaning, they are teaming up to ensure that an application can run easily and securely on any device and platform – regardless of which brand it belongs to. And this way, deliver a confident and enhanced experience to the customer base in terms of operating a Smart home.

Now, while it is easier to connect ton of accessories with Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, and Google’s Weave, it was difficult to integrate Apple’s Siri into apps because of slower adoption of HomeKit.

So, to speed up the adoption of Homekit and boost the incorporation of Siri into development environment, Apple is open-sourcing a part of HomeKit ADK.

“To accelerate the development of the new universal standard, Apple is open-sourcing portions of its ‌HomeKit‌ Accessory Development Kit (ADK). ‌HomeKit‌ has grown to become the most extensive, powerful and secure smart home platform available on more than a billion iOS and iPadOS devices,” said Apple team. 

They further added, “Built from the ground up to protect customer data, ‌HomeKit‌ and the Home app use innovative privacy technologies and techniques to help minimize the amount of data anyone — including Apple — can access as well as powerful security features that protect personal information. By open-sourcing its ‌HomeKit‌ technology, Apple will be helping to jump-start the initiative and ultimately deliver an even better experience to customers.”

This step of HomeKit’s open-sourcing version will bring a significant change in the lives of iOS app development companies and business enthusiasts.

It will encourage more people to build HomeKit devices for their own home. They will no further have to reverse-engineer HomeKit to embrace its compatibility into more devices via the Homebridge project. They will be able to use the ADK for testing their products even before formally joining the HomeKit MFi program.\

While on the other side, it will simplify the development process and lower down the app development cost and timeline.