Apple dives into 'Internet of Things'

The “Internet of Things” is about to go mainstream, with some help from Apple. The company has unveiled plans to let people use their iPhones and iPads to control an array of Internet-connected devices in their homes, from door locks to lightbulbs.

In doing so, the company brought the emerging sector of “smart” appliances to a much wider base of consumers.

Apple’s move could also have implications for Washington regulators, who are just beginning to grapple with the Internet of Things. Such technologies -- from wired cars to toothbrushes -- raise new privacy and security implications as everyday objects get connected to the Internet, and amass data on users, in unprecedented ways.

“We thought we could bring some rationality to this space,” Apple Senior Vice President Craig Federighi said. “You could say something like ‘Get ready for bed’ and be assured your garage door is closed, your door is locked, the thermostat is lowered and your lights are dimmed,” he said.

Apple said people would be able to control the home appliances through a single app. It released a software kit to give developers a common set of standards for building and connecting Internet-enabled devices.