By Stewart Wolpin How private are voice-activated smart speakers? How secure are the images captured by Wi-Fi cameras? How compatible and smart are smart home products?
These are just some of the questions that retailers trying to sell new smart home products face consumers on the sales floor.
Retailers don't need a smart smoke detector to detect how hot the smart home category is. ABI Research says the smart home device market will be worth nearly €12bn this year, more than doubling to €24,8bn by 2024. But while manufacturers and retailers may be aware of smart home technologies, many consumers are new to IoT, often looking to solve a short-term problem or two.
See also: What is a smart home?
“Our research shows that this is still a very impromptu market and that most consumers are turning to smart home devices to meet different or unique needs,” says Adam Wright, a senior research analyst at IDC. “This journey typically starts with networked entertainment devices – smart TVs, smart game consoles, DVD/Blu-ray players, and connected set-top boxes and streaming devices – and then the next step is often home security/surveillance. like connected cameras for indoor/outdoor use, door and window sensors, etc., and then other things that add comfort, convenience, and savings to the home: smart thermostats, smart bulbs, connected cleaning robots, etc. Newbies, of course, raise questions about the problems they "hear" about, often in response to high-profile reports of sensitive images stolen from a Wi-Fi security camera or conversations captured in any way. Harmful by a smart speaker voice control, which often features a smart home. challenges of selling devices to retailers.
Fortunately, retailers know that most of these smart home security concerns are overkill, but they often mask more mundane installation and usage issues.
"There are some people who are concerned about privacy and security, but not as much as you might think," says Kris Dybdahl, vice president of Bjorn's Audio/Video in San Antonio. "We see spikes in questions when the media gets wind of a big piracy story, but unfortunately the consumer, in general, doesn't talk about it as much as I think they should."
"No doubt some consumers will be concerned about security vulnerabilities in video cameras or security/privacy issues in smart home devices," acknowledges Jonathan Collins, director of research at ABI Research. "That being said, the vast majority of consumers are comfortable with the security/privacy that the devices and systems provide, or at least comfortable enough considering the prices and utility of the systems. Smart home to offset your worries."
See Also: Evolving the Retail Experience in the Age of Smart Homes But questions about security and privacy, especially the revered myth that speakers always listen and record everything you say, arise and need to be addressed.
Work together
(Image credit: Best Buy) While it sounds sexier to talk about hacking Wi-Fi security cameras and listening to voice speakers, retailers are actually facing more serious issues, like smart home device compatibility. “Number one for us, it's the customers who want to know that it will work,” insists Bjorn's Dybdahl. Compatibility issues “may have had a bigger impact as consumers struggle with interoperability between existing devices and systems and new additions," observes Collins. "Previously, curated suites of devices and services hid complexity from end users. As more and more smart home devices are marketed directly to consumers and are branded, consumers are left with the task of of ensuring interoperability between new and existing devices.” A predicted trend is finally merging to increasingly dispel consumer compatibility issues: the dominance of a handful of brand ecosystems: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and to a lesser extent , Apple HomeKit. See Also: Consumers Are Buying Smart Home Devices From More Types Of Retailers Than Ever “Amazon does / works with just about every device imaginable. Google is pretty similar. Apple is in trouble and will probably struggle for a long time until they change their approach, because yes, they are a very closed ecosystem and have a small ecosystem of devices/partners,” says IDC's Wright. “While any standardization remains remote, in the near term, major players are looking to provide a broad range of devices, under the same brand name, to simplify interoperability concerns for retailers and their customers,” adds ABI's Collins. Branded ecosystems also appear to be eliminating a pervasive drawback of smart homes: hubs. “Hubs generally separate a customer faster than anything else,” observes Abt's Taylor. "There are enough quality products on the market that you can fill your entire house without the need for a hub." While ecosystem compatibility is ensured, retailers also face some technically awkward consumers trying to navigate DIY installation and actual usage. “Not everyone is comfortable taking apart a wired thermostat, doorbell or projector,” Taylor notes, which is why a growing number of retailers like Abt offer smart home installation services.
Wireless value
(Image credit: Pixabay) One aspect of the smart home sales process that is perhaps the most overlooked by consumers and retailers: Wi-Fi. Often, consumers are completely unaware of the strength or range of their Wi-Fi. -Fi - or, more likely, it is not, which often leads to a poor installation and usage experience. “It is absolutely necessary that we know what Wi-Fi they have,” says Dybdahl. In most cases, we insist that they must have the minimum for correct use ”. Abt also identifies a consumer's Wi-Fi settings “100% of the time,” Taylor repeats. "When talking to a customer about cameras that display up to 4K video, internet speed and router performance are critical." But not all retailers, let alone consumers, are equally aware of the potential problems with Wi-Fi. "I suspect that most retailers/providers don't bother to educate themselves on the Wi-Fi situation, they just want to drive sales of the device," says IDC's Wright. "However, Amazon is very smart in this area, because they recognize that a good wireless network is the key to a good user experience, which is why they acquired Eero and soon we will see them offer these products alongside their other products." Everyone agrees that the active marketing of smart home devices is the best way to overcome consumer concerns about security, privacy, compatibility, and Wi-Fi. “In-store demos and displays are essential for selling smart home devices,” says IDC's Wright. "They remove the complexity surrounding these devices and can allow vendors to better demonstrate how the devices can work together to deliver enhanced experiences."