from asia.nikkei.com: Apple has thrown its hat into the ring in smart homes, detailing plans to launch a service for remote control of appliances this autumn by tying up with electronics manufacturers. The move by the company behind the iPhone is expected to add momentum to an emerging field that already includes Google and Microsoft. Users will control lighting, surveillance cameras and doors from their smartphones via the Siri speech-recognizing personal assistant software. Connectivity with appliances and fixtures from Philips and Honeywell, among others, is planned, according to Apple.