Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

Smart Home of the Future Is Here; Why Aren't People Buying In?

What will convince consumers that a connected home is worth the cost and effort? Device makers hope to sell the idea that a connected home is not just safer, but also saves money and is ultra-convenient.

Smart home devices must automate daily mundane tasks so the homeowner doesn't have to worry about them, said Stuart Sikes, president of the research firm Parks Associates.

"We're moving to a place where we have proactive home managers, devices that turn off the water and notify you after the fact that you've had a leak, the water's been shut off, can I do anything else for you?" said Stuart Sikes, president of the research firm Parks Associates. "That is a true smart home."

Take Google's Nest Learning Thermostat, for example, which costs $249. Manufacturers claim the gadget saves an average of $131 to $145 a year in heating and cooling bills. But a smart system could add to those savings by telling the blinds on the home's western windows to automatically close at 5 p.m. to block the sun.

From the article "Smart Home of the Future Is Here; Why Aren't People Buying In?" by Benny Evangelista.

Previously In The News

7-Eleven rolls out Apple Pay, Google Pay to all US stores

Mobile payment apps have gotten off to a slow start and there have been conflicting analyses of their market potential. For instance, customer use of digital wallets stalled in the past year because t...

What Google's Project Fi Means For Mobile Operators

Research published by analyst firm Parks Associates last month revealed that two thirds of U.S. consumers who are likely to switch carriers in the next year felt access to Wi-Fi as part of their mobil...

Samsung debuts smart home device

In addition, the device's interoperability will be important. According to a recent study by Parks Associates and reported in Retail Dive, 75% of consumers who plan to buy a smart home device believe...

Connected Cars Open Doors And IoT Devices

Parks Associates revealed that 27% of U.S. car owners would connected cars to communicate with the Internet-connected devices in their home, such as smart garage door openers and door sensors. Park...