The iPhone 6 on release date this 2014 will likely double as best friend for the couch potato and more as new report suggests that one killer feature of the next iPhone is to serve as the trusty remote control for home appliances.

Actually, the iPhone 6 controlling the television, radio and microwave oven is but an aspect of the universal functions for the device that Apple has envisioned. Paired with a Smart Home platform that the tech giant will reportedly unveil next month, the device could simply become the single most important gadget found inside a house.

According to The Financial Times, the Smart Home software will be one of the banner offerings that Apple will reveal at the 2014 WWDC that kicks off on June 2. It is understood that Smart Home will communicate smoothly with iOS, which is also set to debut on the same event, to dispense its functions.

In essence, "the software turns the iPhone into a one-stop remote control for everything in your house: lights, appliances and security systems" said Business Insider in a related report.

The integration between Smart Home and iOS 8-powered devices, which include the iPhone 6 and 2014 iPads, is touted as an easy if not an automatic set up for fans of Apple devices.

"For example, a home's lights might automatically come on when the owner enters the house, using their iPhone to wirelessly signal their arrival," added the same Financial Times report, noting as the same time that an existing Apple patent would support the feature's implementation.

It is assumed as well that on the particular feature, near-field communication (NFC) will play a prominent role. Recall that KGI Securities and Morgan Stanley have recently predicted that Apple will finally pack its next iPhone with NFC chips.

The prime use of NFC on the iPhone 6 is to transform the device into an iWallet, according to the two investment firms.

Smart Home on the iPhone 6 will fulfil a long-time Apple vision of making the device as "the centrepiece for connected appliances ... that involve specific settings for devices like home lights, speakers, a television set and more," Apple Insider said in a report.

In the actual execution of the technology, however, a redesigned Apple TV will be part of the entire package. Like the iPhone 6, the television will morph into a hub or gateway to control other home appliances, added the Apple Insider report.

As mentioned, Smart Home will precede the next iPhone, to be revealed next week and likely to roll out soon after the 2014 WWDC in San Francisco, California. It is unclear if the software is designed to work with iOS 7.1.1.

The iPhone 6 release date, on the other hand, is not expected until September this 2014, which analysts said is for the 4.7-inch model while a separate launch date is reportedly scheduled later in the year for the 5.5-inch phablet edition.