On a technical note, I don't understand why the older products haven't done away with the complicated setup and port forwarding.

How hard is it to update applications so they don't look like it is 1995?

And if the Nest thermostat and Dropcam don't need port forwarding, why do so many other home automation products need it?.

I gather if your IP camera contains a server then to reach it from the outside, you need the home gateway to have open/forwarded ports. But if your IP camera sends data to a server on the outside, then the home gateway doesn't need open/forwarded ports. The latter requires the company to operate a data center or more realistically some servers in some one else's data center, which costs money. But the alternative is having a call center and tech support to walk customers through confuguring their devices and home gateway, which costs money too.

Is that right?.

I see the IOS Vs Android competition being a huge plus for us consumers. Just as it is driving for better cell phones once smart phones take over home automation this could take off.

And a quick look at the reviews for the Lowe's system reviews shows complaints about proprietary hardware and a fee for the "service", I don't think so.

I hear you. But even old dogs must change. :D

The old & crotchety part of me scoffed at it just a year ago. But now I use my 6+ as a Netflix remote. And I'm lovin' it. And I read email & surf on my iPad during the inevitable DVR breaks every night. Of course, due to my chosen field of employment, I have little choice but to embrace it.

Ian

Thinking about this, Apple's approach to home automation is really unlike their approach to any previous market. Normally, Apple makes everything from os to hardware to key apps, it is all tightly integrated, works easily and intuitively, and has a consistent look and design. More or less.

But with home automation, Apple is going to rely on dozens of other companies to provide the devices and software. Apple will enforce some standards that let iOS, Mac, Apple TV, and Siri operate those devices, and will verify that the devices do indeed interoperate. (I think: need to do more reading on Homekit.) But you'll still be using a camera from Insteon, a thermostat from GE, an appliance from Samsung, etc - and the apps from those companies.

I'm not sure that is going to work as well as people expect from Apple.

Analogy is printers, Apple doesn't make its own printers, and connecting and operating printers (to print as well as to scan, OCR, copy) is actually one of the sources of hassle for a Mac user. You're no longer in the Apple world, you have to deal with the software from HP or Canon or etc, with drivers (gasp), with incompatibilities. It's not any worse than doing it in Windows, but it isn't any better, and that is the point. Apple is no better than its main competitor in that regard.

In contrast, Google will make the key devices (Nest, Dropcam) and the hub (Revolv), and probably the app too.

Google will be (has the potential to be, anyway) the integrated seamless one, Apple will be (has the risk of being) the fragmented one.

If the average Joe has to futz with his router ports and write down UDP numbers, he isn't going to buy the product, it doesnt matter if it works with Siri.

Hmm. It isn't common that I doubt Apple's chances, but . . .