SMART-HOME TECHNOLOGY
Everything from lighting to doorbells, alarms and smoke detectors, garage openers, remotes and plugs
While technology continues to creep into seemingly every facet of modern life, it should come as no surprise that the market for smart homes and smart-home products is growing steadily. Improvements in technology, as well as the ability to integrate software and services across a variety of platforms and devices, have been key to this emerging sector of the market. Today, smart-home tech is becoming increasingly common in all types of homes, as consumer demand continues to grow.
The number of smart-home products available on the market today is quite astounding, considering how young the industry is.
“Five years ago, smart homes were limited to products such as thermostats and security cameras; it didn’t really get any more advanced than that,” said Zayn Jaffer, vice-president of emerging business at Best Buy Canada. “But since then, the smart-home category has been growing.
“Today it not only includes a range of products, but also multiple categories. Consumers can purchase anything from smart lighting to doorbells, alarms, smoke detectors, garage openers, and even smart gardens.”
Voice assistants are definitely up there when it comes to popularity, he added, as well as products that are compatible with voice assistants like smart lights, remotes, and plugs. Once a consumer purchases a voice assistant device and becomes more comfortable with its capabilities, they may start looking into what else it can do.
“Security cameras, doorbells, alarms and devices that help with securing your home are also very popular,” Jaffer said. “These products allow consumers access to what is happening in their home even when they aren’t there, and are easy to control through a smart phone. For example, if you are expecting a package to be delivered to your home at noon, you can keep an eye on when it arrives, if it arrives, and who dropped it off — all through a live feed on your smart phone.”
While changes in technology have opened up a whole new world within the space of home automation, how homeowners are using the new technology is evolving as well.
“Today we’re using technology to create household ambience by merging the controls for different elements into the same platform to create a scene or mood,” said Philippe Dunberry, vice-president of Câble&Son. “Let’s say you’re entering your home; now, with the push of a button, you can control lighting, shades, blinds, music, and more.”
Being able to set the mood and feeling in a home is one reason for the huge popularity of automated lighting, he added.
“More people are becoming interested in the quality of lighting, so controlled light and motorized shades are very popular right now,” Dunberry said. “Ambient music is very in demand, too.”
The popularity of smart-home systems is really about making your life easier and more convenient, said Joel Orvis, vice-president, Bell Smart Home.
“When you get into the automation packages, you almost have to use your imagination just to think about all the things you can use it for to make your life simpler,” Orvis said.
“I’ve personally got door locks, my garage door, and so many other aspects of my home that I can control through the app. I’ve set up a theme at nighttime, too, where I can ask Siri to run the goodnight theme and the system will ensure all my doors are closed and locked, the alarm is on, and more.”
While all of this sounds quite complex, smart-home technology has become extremely user-friendly, and more affordable than you might think.
“The prices for smart-home products begin as low as $20 to $30 and generally go up from there,” Jaffer said. “Smart light switches, bulbs, and plugs start around this price point. Voice assistants start around $40 to $60 and generally go up from there; security cameras begin at around $100 and go up from there.”
Moreover, several new homes on the market today actually have smart-home technology built into their construction, and experts say they envision this becoming the standard moving forward.
“If you’re building a house right now you should be thinking about incorporating smart-home tech into your house or in five years you’ll be obsolete,” Dunberry said.“It’s affordable and you’re able to quantify the profit after selling it. It impacts home value for sure; it’s very in demand right now.”
Changes in technology are having an impact on the very architecture and design of homes, he added.
“I think, moving forward, smart-home tech will be heavily integrated into the architecture of homes,” Dunberry said.“We’re working more with architects now than ever before and I foresee this continuing.
“I think, in a couple of years, working with a tech expert in designing a new home will be as important and essential as working with an electrician or a plumbing specialist.”