Though the smart home market is far from mature, it is gaining momentum. Based on Strategy Analytics’ data presented at Smart Home Summit in Burlingame, California, some 46% of U.S. broadband households have at least one smart home device today. That works out to some 47 million households.
This is like asking for the killer app for smartphones before iPhone. The answer is that there isn’t ONE killer app, the killer is in that there are plenty of competing apps that solve a multitude of tasks seamlessly, in full co-operation with the installed systems and hardware in the homes.
The DIY smart home enthusiast market is very much a pioneer market. But the bulk of the homeowners or tenants aren’t home hackers. They just want things to work, seamlessly and without being in their way.
So, as with the smartphone explosion, it is about a standardized platform that works on any underlying technology (iOS or Android) with apps from 3rd parties, easily downloadable. No installation, no configuration, just new smart features to simplify their lives or entertain.
This is also the reason for landlords to add smart home technologies to the apartments they rent out. It’s about convenience and premium offerings for their tenants, without the need for DIY. It’s like water or electricity, it’s a utility that just works, making the tenant’s life more convenient. For them, the killer app is driving down operational costs, while adding premium offerings to increase profitability.
