The panel, hosted by Scripps Networks Interactive, Ad Age and
IPG, noted that while connected-home technology is available and in
homes today, it's still not broadly adopted. Homeowners can indeed
remotely control their heating and security systems via
smartphones, use sensors to detect home emergencies and shift TV
entertainment to various screens scattered throughout a home. But
there are a few kinks to make smart living into a broadly
accessible reality.
John Marcolini, Qualcomm's senior director of Hy-fi, the
technology company's hybrid-networking system, said that creating
an industry standard for communication between devices is still the
main hurdle. "Your home Wi-Fi network is supposed to be a central
hub, but it's not standardized, it's fragmented. There are too many
interfaces and standards and users end up with multiple gateways
where your security gateway has to connect to and translate your
appliance gateway," he said.
Another obstacle is in rethinking the user interface for our
home appliances and creating a simple, easy to manage, "home
command center" of sorts. Gene Liebel, partner and chief strategy
officer at Huge , noted
that means moving beyond the outdated panels that live on the
appliances themselves.
"We need to embrace the way people are already managing things,"
he said. "Smartphones and tablets are the new primary interface. We
need to replace the panels on your appliances with controls from
tablets or smartphones."
"People are untethered and want to connect and manage their
home, security and energy, from their tablet or phone," echoed Tony
Wells, chief marketing officer at ADT. But ADT isn't banking solely
on the smartphone; it's also partnered with Samsung to bring
those tools to your TV. "We think the TV is going to be a command
center [for connected devices and services]. Most usage comes from
mobile devices, but when you get home, you're going to use your TV
as the main interface." The idea is that you can check who's at
your front door, or program your home's locks, without tuning away
from your favorite TV show.
Despite tech hurdles, there's plenty of opportunity in smarter
homes -- and not just for home-appliance or computer-chip
manufacturers. One example, according to Scott Martin, senior
VP-marketing at Ingersoll Rand, is the "green" space. Many people
are environmentally conscious, but don't want to take extreme
measures. A connected home is "about letting people do something --
monitor energy levels, your thermostat, check if you left
appliances on and are out of the house," he said.
The insurance industry presents another opportunity. "We know
water damage is one of the biggest claims people make," said Mr.
Wells. The right sensors could help detect a water leak and alert a
homeowner before the damage becomes massive. He predicted that
there's opportunities for insurance companies to partner with
marketers in the smart-home space to encourage use of such
technology. "If consumers use technology to monitor their water,
dishwashers and washing machines, they could get a benefit," he
said of insurers.
A third opportunity lies in the area of health care. Qualcomm is
working on systems for patients returning home from hospitals,
using technology that monitors their recovery and can send that
information to their healthcare providers, according to Mr.
Marcolini.
Pushing these technologies and conversations forward are a
priority for companies like Qualcomm, ADT and Ingersoll Rand -- and
people are really excited about the topic. "Every time we do a show
that says smart home, our ratings go up," said Kathleen Finch,
general manager and senior VP at HTGV. "People want it. We have an
entire series about the smart home called 'I Want That.' Our
viewers can't get enough of it."
What will drive increased adoption? Huge 's Mr. Liebel suggests
it won't be standard platforms but rather incredible products.
"It's more exciting to me to see one-off amazing products," he
said. "Consumers don't buy standards, they buy amazing
products."
Ms. Finch offered a final bit of wisdom for smart-home
marketers, based on her insight into Scripps' audience. "It's
important that the technology can be updated and upgraded and can
adapt later," she said. "People aren't going to replace their
entire entertainment system every two years. There's a little bit
of a hurdle there, with things that are going to be outdated in a
year. Our viewers really care about that capability."