Essence Introduces Apple® Watch App for its WeR@Home™ Connected Home Platform

HERZLIYA, Israel, June 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

- WeR@Home new version update offers enhanced flexibility for end users and their service providers

Essence, leading provider of IoT, cloud-based connected-living solutions, has significantly enhanced the features of its award-winning WeR@Home™ Multi-service Connected Home platform. WeR@Home is now one of the first Smart Home solutions that lets consumers receive alerts, control their home security, and manage their home automation from their Apple® Watches.

This version of WeR@Home allows service providers to offer tiered activity levels, increasing the flexibility of their offerings. Meanwhile, the Multi-Place feature gives end-users the ability to control and manage more than one location from a single smartphone app.

With the Apple Watch application, WeR@Home users can take care of things on the go:

• Arm and disarm the system in all the pre-set arming modes
• Receive event notifications
• Control their Z-Wave home automation and energy management devices
• Create shortcuts that allow them to quickly perform functions such as running Smart Automation rules or getting peace of mind by taking videos from the cameras

WeR@Home™ offers a seamless connected-home experience for security, safety and remote home management. Featuring cloud-to-cloud and Z-wave-based integration, WeR@Home lets consumers control more than 1,000 devices - everything from security and nanny cams to stereos and thermostats.

"Consumers want complete control of their home where they want it. The Apple Watch application enhances the customer usability," said Dr. Haim Amir, Essence Chairman & CEO. "Meanwhile, for service providers, we've designed the newest features so they have the option to introduce services with a basic package and then offer premium services without any integration or custom programming requirements and available on the most advanced devices. They can also structure their service packages by values such as security, energy, or child care."

The features provided in the basic and premium service offerings are defined in advance, allowing different levels of automation rules capabilities in accordance with the customers' wishes. For example, the basic package provides scheduling, like setting the alarm to arm itself at any given time, while the advanced offerings can set more advanced "if this/then that and that…" parameters, such as turning the lights on or off when activating the alarm.  

The Multi-Place function allows end-users to manage secondary homes as well as their main residences. Users can also have limited access to other people's homes such as a parent, neighbor or customers, in the case of nannies or domestic professionals servicing several clients.

Essence's feature-laden connected-living solutions are accessible from anywhere and any device, with the mobile app equipped with the exact same capabilities as the web control system. Essence's recent study of IoT usage showed that most people used their mobile remote access for visual confirmation of home security.

"No matter how complex the system backend actually is, we never lose sight of the fact that it must remain simple to implement and use, and easily adjustable in accordance with changing consumer needs. The Apple Watch interface is just that." concluded Dr. Amir.

About Essence     

Essence is a global IoT provider of scalable, end-to-end connected-living solutions for security, communication, and healthcare service providers. Over the past 20 years, Essence has built an impressive installed base, with more than 15 million products deployed and used by Tier-1 service providers worldwide. Essence is committed to developing and supporting solutions that both enhance partners' businesses and enable people to live fuller and better lives. Essence has won several distinguished industry awards over the past year, garnering recognition by both the consumer and business markets, including the ESX Innovation Award, European Consumers Choice Award, Telecom Broadband Infovision Award, IoT Business Impact Award, and others. 

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