PSIJanuary2018

envisaged in the early days of taking on Nokia
and Blackberry with an alternative phone.
Consider also that according to the new Mobile
Consumer Habits study recently released by
Jumio, and conducted online by Harris Interactive,
smartphone usage is so prevalent in Americans’
everyday lives that nearly one in ten (9%)
smartphone owners admit to having used their
phone during sex, with 12% admitting to usage in
shower. We’re all connected, all of the time these
days so adding home control (which includes
security) to our mobile ability is a given, whatever
we happen to be doing. Smartphone addiction is
a real thing and is fed by the desire to run almost
every aspect of life through a mobile screen. It’s
an established lifestyle choice that can create
mass media interest when slightly thinner, better
camera, more waterproof versions are launched
every six months.
Let us not also forget that the whole of the
security sector is also going mobile. How many
video surveillance and access control
manufacturers have apps? Pretty much all of
them, with the others not far off, yet it is the
intruder alarm that really works hand-in-hand
with a smartphone. As already mentioned, both
are platforms that work together to offer a
genuine service you can see real value in, not
novelty, so there is a natural synergy. You can
predict that people will always want to check to
see if their property is safe and if you can tie in
sensors around the home that also perform
valuable tasks then the recurring revenue will be
there for installers as the user continues to
automate their home.
Elsewhere in this edition a collection of
industry experts give their predictions for 2018,
but for our tuppence worth look for the likes of
RISCO, Texecom, Pyronix and their peers to
continue to make phones and panels close
bedfellows to match the growing demand from
consumers. And it is a genuine demand, unlike
some new ideas that simply serve to find a home
for technology.
It’s all well and good jumping onto the latest
bandwagons but in order for new launches to be
successful they need to satisfy a real need or add
value for a user. Checking that a home is secure is
clearly of use and being able to remotely change
lighting etc to give the appearance of occupancy
is a great step towards moving opportunistic
burglars on. Perhaps an example of technology in
this market that is not really serving any useful
purpose is the electricity usage meter/app from
the utilities provider. Having a device to tell you
how much electricity you are using is not in itself
serving any useful function; you’re not going to
half boil the kettle or turn the TV off half way
through a film just to make the app show
efficiency. As my Dad used to say, turn off lights
when you’re not in a room, don’t heat rooms
you’re not in and keep internal doors closed.
That’s enough for most homes no matter what
marketing messages come from utilities suppliers
who want you to pay for a new service they have
dreamt up.
Of course what this modern leaning towards
smart technology has done is open up the market
to companies that previously had no role in the
sector. Often these are grown from the Kickstarter
crowd funding style approach and so placing the
security of ones most expensive purchase in the
hands of a glorified internal webcam is not ideal.
However the marketing messages surrounding
these devices also are compelling and no doubt
many blokes down the pub will be showing
footage of their homes on their phones.
Unfortunately all these types of cameras
ultimately only serve to show a theft taking place
and do not prevent it happening in the way that a
bell box on the wall and a professional alarm
system could.
Interestingly it was announced recently that
one such crowd funded security camera company
has done a deal with an online insurance provider
to give a 15% discount to homes that have their
camera system. Again this is a strong marketing
message, but will the insurer live to regret the
decision if payouts are common? As stated, the
internal camera will not prevent thefts so perhaps
no drop in incidents for claims is on the cards.
Going forward, look for more companies to
come and go in this market and perhaps one of
the businesses that already provides home
broadband, TV and phone services will also look
at the UK market, but expect strong years for the
established panel manufacturers as they match
the desire for robustly connected, secured homes
using smart devices that not only take care of
security but home automation as well.
Expect strong years
for the established
panel manufacturers
as they match the
desire for robustly
connected, secured
homes using smart
devices that not only
take care of security
but home automation
as well
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