Bosch launches smart home subsidiary @ Business Insider.

German appliance maker Bosch announced it will launch Robert Bosch Smart Home GmbH, a smart home subsidiary, in the first quarter of 2016, according to evertiq. The company will create a single mobile application that can connect to and control the smart home appliances and sensors Bosch offers. It will also be able to connect to compatible devices from other smart home device manufacturers. The move by Bosch highlights how many appliance makers and retailers are attempting to build the software applications necessary to connect to and control the smart home appliances they make.

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Bosch makes *everything* ovens, dishwashers, coffee makers, refrigerators, washing machines… they also make power tools and automotive stuff as well – how could they _not_ be doing smart home. Calling it “Robert Bosch Smart Home GmbH” basically means they’re going to spend a ton of money trying to get “Robert Bosch Smart Home” in your home so everything works with “Robert Bosch Smart Home” and then re-brand later, the name “Robert Bosch Smart Home” isn’t going to work, no one wants “Robert” in their home. Some of the names in the space…

Homekit – Apple
Nest – Google
Revolv (now with Nest)
SmartThings – Samsung
Wink
Brillo/Weave
Hue
Even Staples got in on this, Staples Connect.

It’s more than a name of course, but “works with Nest” and “works with HomeKit” is probably going to be what a lot of people look for. If you go to Home Depot the home automation section is a mess, it’s all confusing and they’re trying to keep up and adapt in an ever changing market.

There isn’t one brand or one company that can do the service/install yet and none of it is easy to use. Back in the day BestBuy purchased GeekSquad for set up and install for computers, there are some companies that are doing that for home automation, we’re just not there yet.

The opportunity for a maker business now is on the hobbyist side, it’s a lot of fun to duct tape, sometimes literally, some of the home automatic devices and get them to all work together. Adding your own sensors, a Pi for control, it’s really a fun time to experiment, but you need to be really in to this, none of it works well or well together.

Just when things start to work, then “Philips Hue cuts support for third-party bulbs“….