LAS VEGAS—As entertainment systems, connected-home technology, and Internet of Things devices proliferate, one question remains to be answered: How are we to control all this hardware? Tekoia thinks it has the answer with SureMote: A universal remote-control app for the Android operating system. And it’s free (though ad supported).
Unlike the approach Logitech takes with its Harmony product line —buy a new piece of hardware to control all your other hardware—Tekoia suggests you simply install its app to run on the hardware that’s already in your pocket: Your smartphone.
The current version of SureMote can already control a number of home-entertainment devices (Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung and LG smart TVs, and more) and smart appliances (everything from air conditioners to Roomba vacuums).
At CES, the software developer announced that its app will also be able to manage devices that rely on Wi-Fi connections, including IP security cameras and thermostats.
“SureMote is a disruptive technology that will give you simple control over all kinds of home appliances using different communication technologies,” said Tekoia CEO Viktor Ariel. “It is easy to use, always with you, truly universal and free.”
Why this matters: Isn’t everyone looking for the one remote to control them all? The challenge lies in making the remote specific enough to be truly useful to the control all the features of each device. Tekoia claims its online database has codes for more than 10000 devices, so perhaps they’ve cracked that problem.
If you’re wondering why SureMote isn’t available for the iPhone, it’s because Apple doesn’t build IR transmitters into its phones. You can buy add-on devices and Infrared-to-Wi-Fi bridges that work with iPhones, but iPhones can’t send IR signals right out of the box.