This is very interesting. If we look at [Pebble](<a href="https://getpebble.com/" rel="nofollow">https://getpebble.com/</a>), their model respects the view where one connected product should not duplicate or bring new dependencies to an existing network. The problem is, the only way Pebble could concretize was by creating an app that connected the watch to several other apps.
IMHO, these islands of technology are profitable to Apple, Google (and Microsoft).
SDKs for specific products are abundant, I would suggest an open-source IoT SDK that frames and federates the development of new 'things'.
As one of the aforementioned firms, you can leverage an existing outsider service and make the experience easier for users whilst keeping a hand on their SDK. Divide and rule ?
I am developing some (fairly simple) example IoT examples for a book I am working on ("Power Java").<p>One thing that I don't yet have a handle on yet is security, and I suspect that securing IoT devices will be in general challenging.