Toronto, Canada – Smart-thermostat maker ecobee is selling through Apple stores for the first time with the launch of a HomeKit-certified version of its ecobee3 Wi-Fi thermostat, which also became available today through ecobee’s web store and through Amazon.
The HomeKit-enabled ecobee3 will be available in Home Depot and Best Buy stores and online later this month.
The HomeKit-certified ecobee3 joins a growing list of HomeKit-certified products. It’s available for $249, including one free wireless remote sensor, but the thermostat supports a total of 32 sensors. Additional remote sensors are available in a package of two for $79.
The remote sensors monitor temperature and occupancy in multiple rooms, enabling the thermostat to adjust the temperature to the desired setting in what ecobee calls “the rooms that matter most.” It’s also said to know when to turn on heating or cooling equipment based on a home’s energy profile, a user’s schedule, and the weather outside.
The thermostat and sensors cut heating and cooling bills by an average of 23 percent, the company contends.
The thermostat features a 3.5-inch full-color 320×480 LCD touchscreen and uses 2.4GHz Wi-Fi b/g/n for control from an Apple iPhone, iPad iPod Touch, or Apple Watch and from Siri. It uses 915MHz to communicate with the sensors. A future expansion slot accommodates other wireless technologies.
The 3.9 by 3.9 inch thermostat displays indoor temperature and humidity as well as live weather and weather forecasts. The device is compatible with 95 percent of residential heating and cooling systems in North America.
The device comes with a guided setup that automatically detects HVAC equipment wiring and walks users through all steps necessary to connect the thermostat to the Internet, register the thermostat for web portal and mobile access, create a comfort schedule, and the like.
The company said it introduced the world’s first Wi-Fi-connected smart thermostat in 2009. It also offers non-Home Kit-certified smart thermostats.
