Apple said on Thursday that the company is on track to launch Homekit in June in response to a report that the home platform would be delayed until early fall.
Fortune.com published an exclusive report citing sources participating in the program that the launch date will be moved to late August or September instead of the targeted May or June. The sources said that Apple decided to delay the launch because of some software issues.
Apple denied the report the same day.
"HomeKit [hardware certification] has been available for just a few months and we already have dozens of partners who have committed to bringing HomeKit accessories to market and we're looking forward to the first ones coming next month," Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller told the Wall Street Journal.
Apple presented Homekit at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference this year. The platform is designed to allow consumers to pair their Apple devices to their smart devices. Some of the Apple HomeKit-supported products include MyQ Smart Garage by Chamberlain, smart sensors by Elgato, iSP5 SmartPlug by iHome and Insteon's Insteon Hub.
Apple didn't commit to a launch date for the Homekit during the conference, which sparked concern for consumers and investors that the company might be working on a big project that would eventually wash out. Apple is struggling in getting device manufacturers because of its meticulous performance standards.
"Like AirPlay, Apple wants very tight tolerances to deliver what they believe to be the best experience," Patrick Moorhead, an analyst for Moor Insights & Strategy, said to Re/code. "On one hand, the slower time to market is annoying, but given the fact that AirPlay works well and everyone knows it, it makes sense. Apple is trying to 'fix' what a plethora of companies haven't gotten right yet."
