We've seen iPhone apps that let you play games, we've seen them that let you control your TV, we've even seen them that let you turn on your car; now Pocket-lint has been shown an iPhone app that will not only let you turn on your TV, but also turn on the lights in your house and even go as far as open your front door.

Philips Pronto, the division within Philips that is tasked with making intelligent remote controls, is working on a new box of tricks called the Philips Pronto Control Processor that it plans to publicly reveal in February 2011.

That box, which is still very much a work in progress as far as the final design is concerned, will connect to your custom installation fixtures and fittings, like your lighting systems, home cinema, and other automation services around your home. It will then allow you full control of it all from either a Pronto remote or via a third party device like the iPad, iPhone, or other mobile device like an Android tablet.

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In practice, and once it's been installed, a quick flick of the menu system on our prototype app on the demo iPhone and the lights in the room change from white to blue, another press and they go green.

Another press of the menu system on the app, which is very much a work in progress as far as the user interface is concerned, and the music starts playing in only the ceiling speakers if that's what you so wish.

This app, like the Pronto remotes, really does give you full access to all the electronics in your house - all from the device you carry around in your pocket.

But it's not just music and lights, but other key areas of the home as well, with the system able to support cameras, doorbells, and your heating.

And before you panic that such a device will break your bank, don't, according to the Philips Pronto spokesperson we spoke to the system will cost between £500 and £1000 when it does launch, with a consumer approach rather than something that you'll have to definitely get installed by a professional. However we presume that if you want it to control more than just your Home Cinema then a custom install professional will probably be recommended.