7/7 Update: Note that as with the launch of Lutron’s HomeKit-compatible version of Caséta Wireless Lighting kits, many Apple Store locations do not yet have the HomeKit version of the ecobee3 in stock yet. We suggest you call ahead and insist that they check the packaging to ensure that what’s available to sell does, indeed, have the Works with HomeKit badge on it. The HomeKit version also has a different model number: 5538-EB-STATe3-02 (the original ecobee3 was -01).
We’ve been expecting a flood of HomeKit announcements this month, and so it begins: Ecobee Inc., the Canadian company known for smart, connected thermostats since 2009, has announced that Apple will start selling a HomeKit-enabled ecobee3 thermostat in Apple Stores in July.
The ecobee3, first released last fall, is a Wi-Fi thermostat that optimizes your comfort and energy consumption through local and remote temperature and occupancy sensors in your home. Like Nest, the ecobee3 challenges the beige box status quo with sleek design lines and an intuitive, app-like interface. Ecobee’s secret sauce is the sensor network it uses to monitor temperatures and household behavior. Within an HVAC zone, the ecobee3 can optimize the temperature for a specific room, equalize it for multiple rooms, or adjust it based on room occupancy—all without regard to the physical location of the thermostat itself.
Apple’s HomeKit offers manufacturers a common platform and language for the secure discovery, configuration, and control of connected devices in the home. With HomeKit, consumers can associate devices from different companies with the rooms in their homes, create scenes by grouping actions for these devices, and control it all from one of multiple iOS devices.
Ecobee’s HomeKit support, for example, will enable temperature control through Siri and integration with other HomeKit compatible devices—a nice addition to the IFTTT channel Ecobee announced just recently.
Note that while the ecobee3 is available today at retailers like Best Buy, only those devices sold later this year, specifically emblazoned with the Works with Apple HomeKit logo, will be HomeKit ready out of the box. This isn’t unusual for HomeKit hardware manufacturers since Apple requires specific hardware on board for certification.
The HomeKit-enabled ecobee3 will start selling in Apple Stores on July 7 at its current retail pricing—$249 for the thermostat bundled with one remote sensor, with additional sensors available for $79/pair. Other retailers, including Best Buy, Home Depot, and Amazon, will get the updated version shortly thereafter. If you already own an Ecobee3, you can send Ecobee your product information to take advantage of a special offer to purchase the new Ecobee3 for just $189 during Ecobee’s pre-order period from June 23 – July 6. In the meantime, the current product is available at a discounted price of $229.
Other manufacturers’ products sporting the shiny, new Works with Apple HomeKit logo today include Lutron Caseta, the Insteon Hub Pro, and Elgato Eve.
Hear our complete interview with Ecobee’s VP of Marketing and eCommerce, Rahul Raj, on episode 49 of Home: On.
Updated 6/8/2015: Added product release date, other pricing and availability information, additional links, and a reference to the recently-released Home: On podcast episode.
Updated 6/18/2015: Added information about Ecobee’s upgrade offer for current Ecobee3 owners.
