Wouldn’t it be great if you could push a button at night, and all of
your doors would lock, your lights would turn off, and your alarm would
set automatically?
That kind of “smart home” feature may sound futuristic or simply beyond
reach for those without a lot of money or technical expertise. But the
technology is already available and new products and services are making
it and similar home automation features increasingly accessible to the
average homeowner.
“It appears that we may be at a turning point,” said Chet Geschickter,
an analyst with Gartner, a market research group. “We may have all the
raw materials for this interoperable home automation world.”
In recent months, some major corporations have announced new products
and services that could help turn the smart home into a mass market
activity. Among the developments:
AT&T announced it will be rolling out its home automation initiative
in March and plans to offer the service in 58 markets nationwide by the
end of the year. The service will offer connected door locks,
thermostats and video cameras as well as basic security protection.
Unlike a similar service offered by Comcast, AT&T’s will be sold
separately from the company’s broadband offerings.
Lowe’s introduced a collection of add-on services for its Iris home
automation kits, which it unveiled last summer. Among the new features
are sensors designed to help consumers monitor their elderly parents, an
automated pet door that users can lock or unlock remotely, and a lawn
moisture sensor that notifies customers when their yards are getting dry
and allows them to turn on their sprinkler system remotely.
ADT, the home security giant, added the ability to remotely lock and
unlock doors to its Pulse home automation offering. The company already
allowed users to adjust their lighting and thermostat and view security
video of their home remotely.
Home appliance maker LG showed off a new washer and dryer set that users can start remotely with their smartphones.
The promise of widely available home automation has been around since
“The Jetsons” aired 50 years ago. But until recently, smart home systems
have been pricey and complex, typically requiring professional
installation. And few consumers have been aware of the availability of
such services or haven’t been convinced that they needed them.
But in recent years, major consumer service providers – including ADT,
Comcast and Vivint – have entered the market, helping promote the
concept of home automation and make it more accessible to average
consumers. Companies such as Comcast and Vivint now offer basic home
automation systems for less than $500 installed. And Lowe’s Iris, which
is available for about $300 for a full system, is designed for
self-installation.
“We definitely see that (home automation) is moving increasingly into
the mainstream,” said Jonathan Collins, an analyst with ABI Research.
Helping drive the decline in price and ease of use are standardized
wireless technologies such as ZigBee and Z-Wave that allow users to
install light controllers and automated door locks without needing to
rewire their house. Such technologies have allowed electronics
manufacturers to design more modular and expandable systems, letting
users and service providers customize systems for individual needs and
budgets.
The spread of broadband, cloud computing and smartphones have also
provided new and compelling ways for consumers to interact with home
automation systems, say analysts. For example, smart home services can
take the smartphone’s location information and use it as a trigger for
doing things like turning on lights or sending alerts.
“Without a smartphone, (the smart home) wasn’t really an exciting value
proposition,” said Lisa Arrowsmith, a research manager at IHS
Electronics and Media.
And new features are making such systems more attractive to consumers,
analysts and industry insiders say. Video monitoring, for example, has
proved particularly popular among ADT’s customers. And the growing
awareness around energy conservation is driving the adoption of smart
thermostats that can adjust temperatures when consumers are away or in
response to signals from utility companies seeking to reduce peak
demand.
To be sure, home automation still isn’t for everyone. While less
expensive and easier to install than before, they still aren’t cheap,
and many consumers may still need help configuring them.
The smart home services offered by ADT, Comcast and other providers
typically are sold only with other services, such as security protection
or broadband access. And they generally require users to sign long-term
contracts that can include pricey monthly subscription fees.
Also, many smart home technologies and devices are incompatible with one
another. So consumers who want to add on to their systems or change
their service providers may find they have limited options -- unless
they want to start from scratch.
“There still are some questions that need be to be answered around this
market,” Arrowsmith said. “I don’t think we’re going to wake up tomorrow
and everyone’s got one, but we are seeing decent growth rates.”
© 2013 San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) Distributed by MCT Information Services.
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