As expected, the “Internet of Things” was a hot topic at CES. And everyone seems to want a piece of this market. For example, we’ve got an iPhone case maker pitching networked power outlets and a fitness tracker company that wants to sell you some Bluetooth light bulbs. Sadly, chaos reigns … given the number of competing standards, proprietary solutions, poorly articulated visions, and even Hubs requiring bridges. Take Kevo and August, makers of “smart locks” — most likely due to power requirements, beyond hardware costs and engineering considerations, both solutions communicate solely via Bluetooth LE. Meaning, at present, it’s mostly smartphones than can interact with their hardware and only from short distances. Enter the Kevo Gateway (Ethernet, above left) and August Connect (WiFi, above right) bridges … that will in turn relay communication from lock to say your SmartThings or Staples Connect hub or to a remotely located phone (but requiring an additional purchase or for a fee). It’s messy. And the highly disjointed nature of this smart home land grab will slow adoption. At least until the the leaders identify themselves.
Another fun example… the Logitech Harmony Home Hub will get a Hub Extender. Because two hubs are better than one! ;)
For someone who’s usually ahead of the curve on this stuff I’m really reluctant to dive in yet because the market just seems like a mess right now with no clear leader. I guess competition is good but it just seems like disorganized chaos. Hopefully things clear up this year. Will HomeKit change things?
HomeKit did get some attention at CES and could provide some of the glue, but it’s no a slam dunk at this point…
http://www.macworld.com/article/2867321/homekit-at-ces-its-all-about-simplicity.html#tk.twt_macworld
http://www.cnet.com/pictures/apple-homekit-gadgets-of-ces-2015/
I continue to think the security implications of the IoT are horrific beyond belief. The NYT briefly touches the surface here, but I think it’s going to end up going much deeper.
When the apocalypse day hits after after adoption picks up, when all the light bulbs and door locks and refrigerators suddenly attack and destroy everyones’ routers, the big story will be the IoD (Internet of Dogs), where St. Bernards wearing casks of bits around their necks heroically bring the internet to folks’ few remaining machines.
But on the bright side, the first CES after the IoD becomes reality is going to be adorable.
Yeah, I raised that very issue to one company I’ve consulted, heard similar from another co that specifically left out WiFi, and why I personally stay away from IFFT. Most folks probably won’t understand the implications until there’s large, public spectacle of some sort (well above and beyond the Belkin Wemo and Foscam incidents). Amazon Echo in my bedroom could get interesting…
“Most folks probably won’t understand the implications until there’s large, public spectacle of some sort”
Yup. The first apocalypse day will be interesting. But the thing is just going to keep going on and on from there. Existing infrastructure that stops getting security updates is just one aspect (of many) of the endless nightmare. An unstoppable infestation of digital termites…
I really am looking forward to the Internet of Dogs, however. It’ll be the cutest Dark Ages ever.
“Amazon Echo in my bedroom could get interesting…”
Huh. I’ve been listening in via your public Amazon page, and it’s actually not interesting at all.
(Rimshot.) Thanks folks. I’ll be here all week. Remember to tip your waitstaff generously. They work harder than I do.
The other problem with IOT Dave is that you’ve got to replace all your existing T’s: your refrigerator, stove, wiring, plumbing, etc. does not work with IOT and usually can’t be retrofitted.
So while it’s great that there’s an iOS app that lets my stove automatically roast a turkey, I need to get a new stove for that to happen.
Most people buy major appliances once and keep them for 20+ years. Major appliances are also expensive – a midrange stove or refrigerator is over $1K.
There’s also the hassle factor: I can turn my lights on from an iPhone app, but most of the time it’s easier to walk over to the lamp and push the “on” button.
Adoption will take a long, long time.
“So while it’s great that there’s an iOS app that lets my stove automatically roast a turkey, I need to get a new stove for that to happen.”
Look, Alan, I know I’ve been also been skeptical, but if you’re saying what I think you’re saying, that I can buy a Smart Oven that will automatically procure, dress, and roast a turkey for me at the touch of a smartphone, then I’m in! Who cares about the security nightmares, chaos, clutter, and absurd cost of quick obsolescence of major appliances? It’d be incredibly convenient and cool.
Hell, if it also can procure, prepare, and properly cook things at the touch of a smartphone besides turkeys, I’ll even pay extra for overnight delivery of my new Smart Oven. I’m always too lazy to make Beef Wellington, but it’s damn yummy.
Alan, I agree with your broader point. But I think you can have a pretty killer (practical, cool) smart home without a new stove or fridge. Neither are on my radar, that’s for sure. For hassle factor, I did find out where the line in the sand is. It’s replacing a fully reliable $3 mechanical timer with a $15 complex and unreliable Zigbee bulb.
https://twitter.com/davezatz/status/508311220609626112
But merely flipping lights on/off from a phone isn’t even table stakes at this point nor necessarily a “smart” use case. Heck in 2002, I had a Harmony remote lower my Lutron-powered track lighting to like 25%, as part of a much broader sequence when I hit the Movie “activity”.
https://twitter.com/davezatz/status/553204071558299648
One of the things I really wanted for myself towards the end of 2014 were electric, networked blinds linked up for various scenarios and general convenience. But the Serena Shades can’t mount over one of the three windows and killed that initiative. Perhaps I’ll find another solution. I think Adam recently replaced his garage door opener with a Chamberlain or Linear or one then the other – we need him to write that up to help determine if there’s value.
Chucky, I have associates already working and investing in the Internet of Dogs…
http://www.whistle.com/
“Chucky, have associates already working and investing in the Internet of Dogs…”
Without real-time fitness and eliminatory function monitoring, they could be missing the boat. (Not to mention that convincing folks to replace their current pet with a Smart Dog is going to have to overcome some serious resistance. The marketing will need to be superb.)
Dave – while the notion of having a movie setting that lowers the lights to 25% as part of a broader sequence is definitely appealing to me, I can’t see the majority of people actually wanting something like that — way too much hassle for the non-techy.
Your window shade example is perfect though: replacing the blinds throughout your average suburban house with smart blinds is a 4-figure project. I think most people would rather just adjust them manually.
And Chucky, yes, if you went through the halls at CES, you’d come away thinking that these stoves would go to the supermarket to get the turkey for you (or maybe they’d send the refrigerator, I forget)
Yeah, mass deployment is not accessible to most. But it also explains why the manufacturers are hitting this so hard. A company like Belkin selling commoditized routers can now offer you multiple light switches, outlets, cameras, etc.
The Serena shades are not inexpensive and the only place I’d consider putting them are bedroom and family room. Blinds to Go and all those guys already sell motorized shades. So there are people making the investment. But if you’re going that far, why lock it down to a single proprietary RF remote when you can link it to other stuff. And while there is a convenience to opening all three bedroom blinds at once via a physical switch or smart phone, again it could get interesting when you link it to lighting, a connected thermostat, room sensors, etc. Also, in this vein, there’s at least one company looking to help us retrofit our existing blinds. And another looking at wirelessly dimmable window films. We’ll see if they ever ship… and if they’re interoperable.
But, yeah, cost and complexity are going to be real barriers for many for a long while. Will be interesting to see what Nest does with their Dropcam acquisition and Google Thread, along with whatever they’re cooking up behind the scenes.
Agreed. After walking the show floor this past week I was left very unimpressed–disappointed actually. Lots of solution searching for a problem.
As I have said here before, I think that it is going to be a long time before this is anything but a specialized market. The general public will only become interested when they see a major benefit, such as a huge energy bill savings or the automated turkey cooker, to make the $$$ investment worthwhile. It also has to be trivial to set up. Standalone programmable thermostats are becoming pretty common, but how many households actually take the time to program them?
First off, I want everything I buy to able to integrate with everything else I own. Sure, I’m not going to buy a stove just to get integration, but the day will come when I need a new stove and I want there to be one available with integration.
That being said, integration and the Internet of Things doesn’t have to require “internet” access. In fact I’d say it is the opposite. To me, the IoT means interconnected devices with a standard protocol, it does not have to mean it has to extend beyond my own person network.
I agree with Dave’s sentiments completely and personally refuse to buy any device that requires an Internet connection or re-occuring expense to integrate with other products — like the Nest. In addition to the security concerns, it generally means it is less reliable and it is slower.
To followup on Ben’s comments, Wink is one of the worst examples – check out their Twitter feed to see how folks lose access to their home (even while in it) when they have backend problems. Yikes. On the flip side Samsung/Smartthings must now recognize this critical limitation given a new hub with battery backup and intent to move or at least duplicate much of the rules/control locally to that device. Staples Connect has been pretty good about this from the get go – wanting to ensure folks can do what they need to do should the broadband drop.
Ben, is most of your stuff Insteon?
“To me, the IoT means interconnected devices with a standard protocol”
Fully agreed. But given corporate incentives, doesn’t that seem more than a bit unlikely?
“That being said, integration and the Internet of Things doesn’t have to require “internet” access.”
Fully agreed. But given corporate incentives, doesn’t that seem more than a bit unlikely?
Not that I don’t like St. Bernards, but couldn’t we have an Internet of Cats (IoC) after the IoTmageddon?
I’ve been a renter for a few years and just bought a new house. I still have my old Insteon, ISY99, Elk system; not sure if I’m going to sell it at this point or what. I’m doing a lot of research and making sure I base my decisions on the latest technology, but it seems the HA market has moved in the wrong direction as much as it has moved in the right.
Corporations are incentivized to do things that are profitable. People have been trying to sell HA to the mainstream for a long time and this is the latest attempt. My hope is that the good products will be bought and the bad ones will not. My fear is that none of them will be bought and we’ll be no closer to a smart home then we were 10 years ago.
Sad to say but the most promising thing I’ve seen in the past year is HomeKit and that is really sad. One thing is for sure, we need some glue to hold all this together.