NEWS © Samsung Strong
NEWS © Samsung Strong growth forecast by IDC for key smart home categories In 2017, 433.1 million smart home devices were shipped worldwide, growing 27.6% y/y International Data Corporation (IDC) has published results from its latest Tracker Research Program covering the fast-growing market of smart home devices. The publication, the Worldwide Quarterly Smart Home Device Tracker, focuses on market sizing and forecasting of IP-connected devices used in the home, inclusive of smart speakers, digital media adapters, lighting, thermostats, and more. The historical data is accompanied by a five-year forecast that offers insight into upcoming trends and the ever-evolving market. Looking ahead, IDC anticipates a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.5% as the market balloons to 939.7 million devices shipped in 2022. Within the smart home market, the smart speaker category, which includes devices like the Amazon Echo and Google Home, will remain the fastest growing category throughout the forecast. Meanwhile, shipments for most other categories, with the exception of video entertainment products, will experience a doubledigit CAGR during the same period. “The smart home market is still in its infancy but we’re already seeing some significant changes in consumers’ and vendors’ approach,” says Jitesh Ubrani, Senior Research Analyst for IDC Mobile Device Trackers. “There's less of a focus on having a central hub and apps as the centre of the interface as hardware makers race to create interoperability with smart assistants like Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. On the other hand, consumers, while still somewhat hesitant to anthropomorphise smart assistants, are beginning to expect a more natural user interface to the myriad of smart home devices.” Adam Wright, Senior Research Analyst for IDC’s Consumer IoT Program, adds: “While it’s still early days for the smart home market – and the wider consumer IoT ecosystem in general – we expect to see considerable growth over the next few years, especially as consumers become more aware of and increasingly interact with smart assistant platforms like Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant. “Whether in the form of a smart speaker or embedded in a thermostat, fridge, TV, or any other device, smart assistants are quickly becoming the cornerstone of consumer IoT by enhancing the accessibility, use, and functionality of connected devices, which will noticeably boost adoption rates in the near future.” Video Entertainment devices, inclusive of smart TVs, digital media adapters, and other IPconnected video devices, are forecast to deliver a CAGR of 8.3% for unit shipments over the 2017–2022 forecast period. These devices are also expected to capture around three quarters of the dollar value of the entire smart home market as the average sale price (ASP) for TVs will be among the highest. Thermostats, like the ones offered by Nest or Ecobee, are expected to have a worldwide CAGR of 20.8% for unit shipments by 2022 34
NEWS IFA hosts UX Design Awards 2018 Unearthing products that enhance the user experience in a connected world The quest for superior user-centric products and concepts among companies, design consultancies and agencies worldwide is being celebrated at the 2018 UX Design Awards. A singular competition focusing on “user experience as a key asset in a connected world,” the awards will focus on artificial intelligence, robotics, gesture and voice control. The award-winning user experience solutions are on show at IFA at the International Design Center Berlin (IDZ). Around 50 outstanding product solutions and concepts that have been nominated for this year’s UX Design Awards, and all are featured in a special exhibition at the world’s premier global consumer technology show IFA. From innovative products and services to futureoriented concept studies, the nominated solutions utilise state-of-the-art technologies such as sensors, 3D data-capturing or algorithmic big data analysis for intuitive applications in a wide range of sectors – including medicine, education, mobility, connected work, industry and leisure environments, urban areas or smart city applications. The businesses and consultancies nominated for the 2018 UX Design Awards include Germany’s wildcard communications, which has been at the forefront of consumer tech and lifestyle communications since it was established in 2002; and Samsung SDS, the innovation arm of the Korean manufacturing giant whose aim is to mobilize every device that we use in our daily lives via the transformative power of the Internet, and thus to connect billions of people while simultaneously revolutionizing industry. The winners will be pronounced the award ceremony on September 1, and will be chosen by a jury that includes Pia Betton (Partner, Edenspiekermann), Julia Ehrensberger (Senior Industrial Designer, Brand Siemens, B/S/H/), Prof. Carl Frech (Partner, Fuenfwerken Design), Ulrike Müller (Head of UX Design, Volkswagen Group Future Center Europe), Henrik Rieß (Creative Director, User Interface Design) und Martin Wezowski (Chief Designer, SAP Innovation Center Network) UX Design Awards Ceremony 1 September 5:30 PM Stage Innovation Engine Hall 26a Stand 208 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Friday 31 st August 2018 35
