Smart app for air conditioning

Project background

AC (air conditioning) is far from being a luxury now. The global air conditioner (AC) market is expected to grow by over 5% in the next couple of years.

This useful tool has been improved for even more users’ comfort within the last 5 years. When it comes to air conditioning, one of the main users’ pain points is the inability to adjust the temperature at home or in the office remotely. So this was the main task from our client to create a smart and easy-to-use air conditioner app for distant AC control.  

According to the Energy Information Association, 87 % of US homes have air conditioning, with 75 % having central units. In northern states, most people use individual, portable, and window AC units during the milder months of the year.

A remote AC control makes it easy for end-users to turn on or off the device at home while they are at work or driving. Our main task was creating an IoT-based Flutter app to interact with air conditioning equipment on the go.

Business needs

AC (air conditioning) is far from luxury now. Still, this useful tool has been improved for even more users’ comfort within the last 5 years. When it comes to air conditioning, one of the main users’ pain points is the inability to adjust the temperature at home or in the office remotely. So this was the main task from our client – to create a smart and easy-to-use air conditioner app for distant AC control.  

Our client was looking for:  

– An effective solution for all platforms and devices;  

– Localization of the created solution into several languages;  

– Custom font adaptation for all devices; 

– Expert Flutter developers to create a cross-platform solution.  

Product features

1. Devices. Works with any air conditioner or heat pump with remote control
2. Connectivity. Works with Google Home & Amazon Echo
3. Schedule. Unlimited 7-day scheduling
4. Automatic turn On/Off. Turns on the A/C when you arrive, turns it off when everybody leaves
5. Climate React. Monitors temperature and humidity, and sets triggers to control the AC based on these measurements
6. Reminders. Reminds to clean the filter
7. Shares. Shares your device control with others
8. Intergrations. Opens API – many integrations

Solution

CHI Software Mobile Unit joined the ongoing project and a big distributed team of our client. One of the main parts of the app development was handling network requests in order to have a competitive user experience. The main tasks were:

– Work with the network using Dart IO (dio)

– Localization of the app into languages of the client’s interest

– Adapting the screen and font size for all platforms

– Make sure the UI displays a comprehensible layout on different screen sizes

Our technology stack

• Flutter framework
• BLoC pattern
• Custom views using Flutter
• Rxdart

Client values

1. We created and released a stable cross-platform app on Flutter.
2. On the UI/UX side, we tested the best business flow and development.
3. Our team developed an effective indoor climate tool for a variety of users.