Las Vegas has wrapped up another successful Consumer Electronic Show. Amidst all the tempting futuristic gadgets on display, the top question for anyone in the property market had to be, who dominated the smart home sector? The main contenders right now are: Apple’s HomeKit, Samsung’s SmartThings and Google’s Nest.
Apple unveiled some nifty new devices including a smart power outlet adapter, a smart door lock and a connected garage opener. The devices are supported by the personal assistant application, Siri making the whole setup feel highly user-friendly. Furthermore, new advance features mean communication with Siri doesn’t have to stop at the front door, homeowners hard at work in the office can ask Siri to lock the front door or turn off the lights. The only downside is remote commands must currently be routed through an Apple TV.
Samsung recently acquired SmartThings and the top priority has been improving the hub. The appearance is unchanged but the Bluetooth has been upgraded so it can carry more connected devices, the processor is faster, a backup battery has been added and cellular backup options expanded to provide more protection for users in case of an internet or power outage.
However, Google seems to be leading the pack. The corporation is gathering product partners like bees to a honeycomb: Dropcam, Whirlpool, August, LG, Mercedes-Benz, the list of allies is long and packed with popular brand names. The Google plan appears to be complete integration, to get its Nest products working seamlessly with the widest array of partner products. Home owners could pair their August Smart Lock with their Nest thermostat for instance, so that unlocking the front door automatically turns on the thermostat. It’s long term, joined-up thinking that gives the homeowner choice.
Leave a Reply