On the other hand, Amazon’s certification is decidedly easier. There are no specific chips required, but the devices need to be tested. A third-party can do the testing. Once that occurs, Amazon will decide if the device can receive a “Works with Alexa” in 10 days.
But while Amazon’s Echo has been a surprise hit, Apple has a leg up when it comes to user privacy:
Amazon acknowledges that unlike Apple, it can’t guarantee the security of third-party devices. A company spokeswoman did note that sensitive commands like unlocking doors have an extra layer of security such as a voice-controlled PIN.
I use both systems at my home, and while Amazon has some significant advantages, HomeKit’s has slowly continued to improve – especially with the addition of the Home app in iOS 10. And as more HomeKit-enabled devices hit the market, hopefully the prices will continue to decrease to help adoption as well.
