In the nascent connected home industry, startups now have the choice to tie up with platforms from either Apple AAPL +0.00% or Google GOOGL -0.30%. And going with Apple can make a big difference — that’s at least according to smart thermostat-maker Ecobee.
In July, the Toronto, Canada-based startup released a version of its $250 Ecobee3 thermostat certified by Apple to work with HomeKit, the iPhone maker’s program for syncing up smart home gadgets in iOS. Becoming a HomeKit-certified device has resulted in a major jump in sales for the company. Retail sales have doubled from August to September and then are expected to triple by October, the company said. And to keep up with sales growth, the company’s employee count has grown 20% since July and is now at 120 employees.
Ecobee wouldn’t say how many units it’s now sold, but it’s clearly doing quite well. In the past year, Ecobee has become the second best selling Internet-connected thermostat in the U.S., with 24% of the market, according to research firm NPD. Around four million smart thermostats units will be sold in the U.S. this year, based on estimates from research outfit Parks Associates, and so that pegs Ecobee at selling close to one million thermostats in 2015. Not bad for such an early market.
From the article "Thermostat Wars: With Help From Apple HomeKit, Ecobee Takes Number Two Place Behind Nest" by Aaron Tilley.
Advanced voice control technology is a growing good bet, especially when it comes to consumers on the younger end of the demographic spectrum. Millennials show particular comfort with voice control of...
The independent home automation hub is fading as a means to a do-it-yourself smart home purchase, Robert Parker, SmartThings senior vice president-engineering, told us after his keynote at the Parks’...
Geekatoo executive chairman Christian Shelton saw demand for tech services rising as more people add internet-connected devices - such as the smart thermostat Nest or Wi-Fi camera Dropcam - to their h...
When it comes to predicting when the smart home will become a mainstream phenomenon, we’ve repeatedly missed the mark. Some of us have enjoyed the benefits—and dealt with the few headaches—of living i...
