With the launch of the new operating system iOS 11, Apple has made a number of changes to the smart home platform HomeKit. Now everyone can create on its basis their own devices.

Until then, the creation of a gadget with support for HomeKit provided for the need to participate in the licensing program Apple. Now the need for this has disappeared: any person can develop such products. You can, for example, collect something based on Arduino or Raspberry Pi.

At the same time the HomeKit devices created for the "smart" house created without official certification can not be sold. According to Apple, developers can only practice on them or use their own needs.

Another change within the Apple HomeKit concerns an embedded security chip. Now manufacturers do not have to install it into their products: companies can identify smart devices with software tools. Thus, with the release of iOS 11, HomeKit support can get lamps and thermostats already on the market.

In this case, Apple will charge a fee from manufacturers who want to sell devices with HomeKit support - even if they use software authentication, and do not buy a chip. This does not complicate the development, but it makes it more expensive.

Among other things, the Cupertinovs added Apple HomeKit support for two new categories of products - mixers and sprinklers.

Also now you can run smart things in new ways. In particular, to make the lamps turn on shortly before sunset. In addition, Apple added temperature triggers, so that the user could initiate any action when reaching a certain mark on the thermometer.