Misfit moves beyond fitness with home automation and smartphone controls
Starting in March, users of Misfit's Flash and Shine wearable will be able to control light bulbs, door locks, thermostats, and home entertainment centers straight from their wrists. Some of these controls will trigger automatically, while others will require a double- or triple-tap on the Misfit Flash's singular button.
For example, Misfit will able to set a preferred morning temperature on Nest thermostats when the user wakes up, or tell an August door lock to open when the user approaches. Users can also tap on Misfit to start or stop Spotify app playback, control home entertainment on Logitech Harmony devices, cycle through light colors with the Leeo Smart Alert Nightlight, check air quality in Bitfinder, or fire off a quick reply in Yo. Misfit will be adding an IFTTT channel as well, so users can create all kinds of new triggers for the wearable.
Keep in mind that the Misfit Flash consists only of a single button, and The Verge reports that users will only be able to map one action to a double-tap, and another action to a triple-tap. That means users will be limited in how much they can control without automatic triggers. Still, for a $50 fitness tracker, even a little bit smart home controls could go a long way.
Why this matters: Misfit isn't the only wearable maker with its eye on home controls. Rival Jawbone also works with Nest thermostats, and can trigger scenes on SmartThings devices through the button on its Up24 fitness tracker. Pebble and Android Wear smartwatches have apps to control home automation devices as well.
But Misfit's entry price is much cheaper, and its replaceable coin cell battery works continuously for six months with no need for recharging. By locking up partnerships now, Misfit could establish itself as the cheapest and easiest way to control a smart home, even if it's not as feature-rich as more expensive wearables.