7 Most Exciting Apple-Friendly Products at CES ’18
CES is where tech firms of all sizes come to unveil the latest and greatest in consumer electronics. This year's event is no different, with a wide range of cutting-edge devices and technologies being unveiled. And while Apple doesn't announce new products at CES, it doesn't mean that Apple isn't included.
In fact, there are a slew of manufacturers that are adding HomeKit or Siri support to their existing platforms, as well as tech firms that are releasing new products that are compatible with the Apple ecosystem. Press the right arrow to learn about seven of the most exciting, unique or just plain cool Apple-related products announced at CES '18 thus far.
7 iPhone-Enabled Skincare
Tech-enabled skincare devices (like smart mirrors) may be the latest trend in the beauty market, but Neutrogena wants to bring a similar platform to your everyday companion. The beauty brand unveiled a piece of hardware at CES ’18 called the Skin360 SkinScanner. It’s a device that attaches to an iPhone and is meant to analyze, track and improve a user’s skin health.
The Skin360 scanner uses a set of 12 LED lights and a 30x magnification lens to take extremely close-up pictures of your skin, while a built-in moisture sensor analyzes how hydrated it is. Using machine learning algorithms, the system will then compare your skin to others in your age range and assigns a score. Of course, it will then suggest Neutrogena products to maintain or improve your skin health.
6 Nanoleaf’s 12-Sided HomeKit Remote
Nanoleaf’s new HomeKit remote is probably one of the more unique — and admittedly strange — unveilings at CES ’18. The Nanoleaf Remote is, essentially, a 12-sided die that lets users control their smart home by setting the device down on a particular, numbered side. Each side of the die is linked to a preset smart configuration. The Remote differs from other smart product control devices because it focuses on pre-set “scenes.”
These “Scenes” are set up on the connected iOS app. One scene might be a “party scene” with a dance playlist and colorful lights. Another might be a relaxing scene with dimmed lighting and calming music. Users switch between scenes by placing the desired side face-up on the remote — with a total of 12 possible “scenes” in all. The Remote will launch this spring, and will retail for $49.99.
5 First Alert’s Smart Home "Speaker"
Your smoke alarm protects you from fire and carbon dioxide, while your speaker system lets you jam out to your favorite tunes. But, in what’s likely a first for the smart home industry, First Alert is combining those two ideas with its Safe & Sound. The newly unveiled product is a smart, Wi-Fi-enabled smoke alarm, but will also double as an in-ceiling entertainment system.
Safe & Sound will detect smoke and carbon dioxide and send an alert to a user’s mobile device if abnormalities are detected. But it also packs high-end speakers with “crisp vocals and powerful bass,” and a suite of multi-directional microphones for voice control. The Safe & Sound System is also HomeKit and Siri voice compatible. It’ll retail for $249, and is expected to ship in April.
4 Mixing Augmented Reality and Dental Hygiene
Toothbrush manufacture Kolibree has a solution for parents who have a hard time getting their kids to regularly brush their teeth. Their newly unveiled Magik Toothbrush will mix dental hygiene and augmented reality to create a platform meant to make brushing teeth a fun game instead of a chore.
The system consists of a smart toothbrush that sports a sensor, as well as a connected AR app for iOS.
The toothbrush is able to detect the speed and movement of brushstrokes, and can even analyze it’s positioned. All of this is sent to the app, where children can watch themselves brush their own teeth while clad in AR masks or filters depending. Children are rewarded for good hygiene “scores” with different masks, as well as sticker packs. Ultimately, the system is meant to teach children how to properly clean their teeth — and allows parents to keep track of their child’s progress.
3 Siri Voice-Controlled Smart Shower
It’s been one year since faucet brand Moen announced its cloud-based, Wi-Fi shower system, “U by Moen,” at CES ’17. And this year, the manufacturer is back at the consumer electronics event with an update for the unique platform: voice control support for both Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa digital assistants.
With its new HomeKit and Siri integration, it means that users will be able to activate their showers ahead of time by saying “Hey Siri, start my shower.” That might sound a bit frivolous, but it could be convenient for people who absolutely hate waiting for their showers to warm up. If users have a specific water temperature preset, they can be notified once the shower has reached the perfect temperature.
2 Abode’s DIY Home Security System
Abode Systems (which is a security startup not to be confused with Adobe, the maker of Photoshop) has unveiled a new DIY security solution centered around a compact HD camera called Iota. Unlike similar products on the market — of which there are many — Iota offers a great deal of flexibility, letting users tailor their own home security system to their individual needs and devices.
Iota, which will be HomeKit- and Siri- compatible, will be a more customizable security solution by allowing users to build out their own systems with a range of accessories connected to a central gateway device, which is Abode's own HD Camera. Iota will feature native support for many existing smart home brands, and can also offer professional-grade active monitoring. It’ll retail for $329 and is expected to launch within the first quarter of this year.
1 Apple Watch-Controlled Appliances
You’ve long been able to control your HomeKit accessories via iPhone or iPad. But, in the near future, appliance maker Whirlpool will let you control a slew of their devices with your Apple Watch. Whirlpool announced the development on Monday, claiming that they’re the first manufacturer to offer Apple Watch support for appliances, CNBC reported.
Whirlpool’s new system means that Apple Watch owners can remotely check on how long is left on a washer or dryer cycle. But it'll be used for more than just monitoring: users will be able to delay cycles on a washer, or even change heat settings on a connected smart oven. Initially, the OEM said that Apple Watch support will roll out to more than 20 of its appliances this year — presumably, with more to come in the future.