Consumers Want a Single Source For Smart Home Device Control

Connected devices in the home can provide more information on energy consumption, including load profiles at start-up and runtime profiles during operation. The combination of these data sets allows consumers to understand how the operation of each device impacts their utility bill and could lead to more actionable guidelines to reduce their energy costs.

Getting this disaggregation data can be difficult, and many current utility programs offer data only in 15-minute intervals, while consumers today are accustomed to real-time data. These challenges are exacerbated by the nature of today’s smart home ecosystem, which consists of many disparate devices from different manufacturers.

The standard smart home buyer journey today is via retail, often one device at a time, creating an experience where consumers are using multiple apps to control their devices. Therefore, control is not unified, and data is often not shared among devices, creating a disjointed consumer experience.

These conditions have inhibited the growth of the smart home market into the mass market. Some level of unified control is available via smart home hubs, security providers, internet service providers (ISPs), high-end custom installments, and even the master smart home apps on common smartphone operating systems, but consumers want a more unified experience, with integrated automation and intelligence.

For many consumers, the ideal solution would be an IoT platform that can simplify and combine all disparate devices and services into a single unified source. As consumers accumulate more devices, they gravitate toward a single source of control. An IoT platform can also accommodate the different preferences among consumers regarding the control experience.

US internet households are almost evenly divided, with 52% preferring an involved customized and control experience, versus 48% who prefer a “set it and forget it” experience. IoT solutions can have the flexibility to meet either need. 73% of smart home device owners or purchase intenders consider interoperability important.

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Join us for Smart Energy Summit 2023! The in-person event will take place at the Omni Austin Downtown Hotel on February 13-15, 2023. Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer addresses the evolution of the consumer utility market, the impact of COVID-19 on energy management programs, and new opportunities to drive engagement in utility-sponsored programs. Virtual panels and networking sessions, featuring executive-level experts from multiple industries, address strategies for utilities, service providers, retailers, software providers, and manufacturers to expand and monetize energy management and other energy-focused offerings through consumer engagement, new business models, unique partnerships, and innovative technologies. Register now: www.ses2023.com