The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is a techie’s dream come true. There are so many electronic gadgets to play with that it’s nearly impossible to contain one’s excitement at times. Even better, every year brings something new and exciting.
The star of the show for 2020 is home security and home automation. According to Larry Anderson of Security Informed, the smart home market was a major focus for CES 2020. Among the 4,500 exhibitors and 1,100 industry leaders were many smart home automation and security experts.
So why such an emphasis on home security and automation this year? There isn’t just a single reason. There are multiple reasons, five of which are discussed below. Suffice it to say that the results of CES 2020 will influence the home security and automation market for the next 12 months.
1. People Want to Be Safe at Home
It goes without saying that people want to be safe in their own homes. Up until five or six years ago however, installing a home security system meant calling a company, ordering their equipment, and paying for professional installation and monitoring. Going pro is still on the table in 2020. But so is DIY installation and monitoring.
Today’s wireless home security and automation systems are as easy to install as wireless modems and routers. Manufacturers know this. They also know that people want DIY systems. And as long as people want to be safe in their homes, equipment manufacturers will keep giving them what they want.
2. People Want Easy Installation
This second point is really a continuation of the first. Truth be told, people want easy installation. They do not want to have to pay professionals. Instead, they just want a system that works out-of-the-box. They want one they can set up in mere minutes to monitor for burglary, fire, and carbon monoxide.
3. People Want Smart Home Technology
You could make the case that a new interest in home automation is also fueling consumer demand. Simply put, people want smart home technology at their fingertips. Just having a smartphone is no longer good enough. Today’s consumers want smart speakers, remotely accessible video surveillance cameras, smart thermostats, and so forth.
Among the hottest smartphone technologies these days are smart door locks and thermostats. The smart door lock can be programmed for keyless entry. It can also be controlled remotely. As for smart thermostats, they can actually ‘learn’ a family’s lifestyle for on-the-fly adjustments. Smart thermostats save money year-round by more effectively controlling temperature.
4. Smart Speakers Continue to Amaze Us
Another thing home security and automation manufacturers have discovered is that smart speakers continue to amaze consumers. And why wouldn’t they? With a smart speaker on your kitchen counter, uttering just a single sentence will have a pizza delivered to your door in time for dinner. Your smart speaker can tell you the weather, read the news headlines, report the sports scores, and so much more.
Connect a smart speaker to your home automation system and you can control everything from temperature to lighting just by speaking. Vivint SmartHome recently published a blog about controlling Christmas tree lights with your voice. People love that sort of thing.
5. Smart Homes Save Money
Finally, home security and automation is a big focus for CES 2020 because smart homes save consumers money. A case in point is the smart thermostat. The smart thermostat is not just a programmable thermostat. It actually learns over time. You set it up with initial programming based on your schedule. For the next few weeks, the thermostat monitors activity in your home and compares it against that programming. Then it begins to adjust automatically.
You save money by not heating and cooling a home that sits empty all day. But that’s not all. You can also automate lighting the same way. You save money by not having lights on when no one’s home or when rooms are vacant.
Home security and automation are all the rage these days. If you attended CES 2020 you probably saw some great stuff. It is going to be a particularly good year for the industry.
2018 ·
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