Your House is about to turn into a battlefield (in case you didn't know)

Not sure you have noticed,

your house is about to turn into a battlefield.

The battlefield is called Smart Home (BTW, the same applies to offices, buildings, infrastructures ...).

Servitization is the new buzzword.

The "Internet of Things" (IoT) can turn physical products into "smart products" (digital information centres) able to convey paid services. Then, old fashioned product manufacturers (lamps, sockets, bulbs, plugs, monitors, TVs, desktops, fridges, dishwashers, wash machines, coffee machines, …) are on their way to become service providers (or at least they are trying).

Though, there are a couple of (not trivial) barriers to overcome.

• Most of the manufacturers have no clue (and know-how) how to make their products smarter. They are randomly investing into cloud capabilities and sensors, but with no clear plans and vision.
• Most of the manufacturers have also no idea which services to enable through their wanna-be-smarter products. Manufacturers developing services in-house is typically a recipe for disaster. Open innovation and startup-corporate collaboration are the only way forward. But we see just a few companies that are currently (and seriously) trying this way.
• Providing services is a totally different business than selling products. Developing the capabilities they need to provide services and solutionsrequires different culture and organization. Not a transformation that can happen overnight.

Finally, the smart home war will likely be a "winner takes it all" play. No room (no pun intended) for multiple players. And - here - the usual suspects play from a vantage point.