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FROM SMART HOME TO BUILDING: SMAHOME EXPLORES DIVERSE IOT SOLUTIONS In order to expand our coverage into multiple business sectors, SMAhome will reposition itself in 2019 to focus on business applications, and building and home related topics. Both the operation of the SMAhome website and the circulation of its quarterly buyers’ guide will cease in 2019. However, the SMAhome editorial team will continue to work for the industry on asmag.com, covering all the latest topics. Thanks to connectivity, our lives have become much more different compared to the past. Home appliances have become interactive, capable of sharing data and providing extra convenience. The human voice can now further command and control multiple smart devices. Robotic devices can assist people with monitoring, education, entertainment and housekeeping. The high growth experienced by the smart home industry in the past five years has created many magnificent achievements in different regions, with the U.S. taking the lead. In the next decade, we expect China will become another big market in the smart home sector and that other industries will also become highly connected networks and smart.
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Similar to what we can find in our own homes, many connected business solutions in buildings have also started to have their own ecosystems. With IoT technology as an enabler, these systems in smart buildings can be connected to automation, HVAC and security subsystems. In addition, smart buildings are like smart power grids, with energy efficiency as a primary long term goal. Occupant comfort is also another big issue. Designing people-centric buildings should always be prioritized when using these technologies. When it comes to people in a building, what they demand would vary depending on business purpose. For example, what a financial building requires would be totally different from a hospital or a hotel. When it comes to IoT applications for business, the complexity of implementation is much higher due to demands from end users and also multiple stockholders. In 2019, please stay tuned to asmag.com to explore various business topics. We always welcome your feedback.
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In a sleek shape similar to UFO and small enough to be placed in the palm, i-Ctrl acts as a remote and connects to the Wi-Fi at the same time, allowing users to control infrared appliances using their Internetenabled smartphones.
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AIFA GAINS UPPER HAND IN TURNING INFRARED APPLIANCES SMART E X P L O R A T I O N
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2018 & 2019 Industry Trends for Smart Living Gadgets
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Comparison between All Kinds of Smart Speakers
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China and Japan Take the Lead in Smart Home Adoption in Asia
V I E W P O I N T
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12 Smart Living Gadgets for Christmas
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ABB Readies Immersive Smart Home Solutions for All Seasons
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Source: Zen Ecosystems
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Is It the Right Time to Adopt New Energy Management Technologies?
Smart Home Sourcing Guide 2018 Winter
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Home Security Automation & Control Lighting & Energy Other
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Three AI-based Solutions Innovate Building Energy Efficiency
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Adoption of Building Management Systems Grows in Europe
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10 Energy Solutions Designed for the Commercial Space
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By John Liu
AIFA Gains Upper Hand in Turning Infrared Appliances Smart
Connected home is the future. More and more devices are getting connected to the Internet in the new age of IoT. Like smartphones, home appliances including TVs, air conditioners and ceiling lights are all about to get connected to become “smart.”
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h e c h a n g e w o n ’t h a p p e n o v er n ig h t, h ow eve r. Mos t appliances in existence today are not Wi-Fi-enabled to be connected. Often times the devices communicate with the outside world through infrared signals, which allow them to be controlled from a remote. Remote control manufacturer AIFA Technology has leveraged its knowhow to come up with an innovation. Its new product i-Ctrl connects infrared appliances to the Internet. In a sleek shape similar to UFO and small enough to be placed in the palm, i-Ctrl acts as a remote and connects to the Wi-Fi at the same time, allowing users to control infrared appliances using their Internetenabled smartphones.
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All the transmission signals from the remote can be called upon and stored in your phone. The i-Ctrl app has the buttons found on a remote, so now the phone can function as a remote. AIFA’s strength lies in its background as an original equipment manufacturer that has made remote controls for more than 20 years. It is one of the few companies in the world that are capable of making their own remote ICs, according to AIFA general manager Ni Wen-lu.
CONNECTS TO ALL INFRARED APPLIANCES Thanks to AIFA’s remote control expertise, i-Ctrl can talk to TVs, settop boxes, DVD players, stereos, air conditioners, fans, ceiling lights, etc. that
are controllable through infrared remotes across various brands. The company claims its database has infrared signals from 95% of the appliance makers in the world. In other words, if you have a home appliance that is controllable from a remote, the chance is high that i-Ctrl can control it. Also, more functionalities found on a remote, whether it is for TV, air conditioner, etc., can be copied to i-Ctrl’s app interface. i-Ctrl may have the upper hand in this regard, compared with similar products on the market. i-Ctrl has the edge especially in its ability to “learn” air conditioner remote signals that it previously did not recognize. A remote’s transmission signal changes for each temperature degree
embedded Wi-Fi modules into their products to turn them smart or get connected to the Internet. Although the module costs little, a premium price is attached to these WiFi-enabled products, Ni said. A Wi-Fienabled air conditioners in India and Japan, for example, are priced US$300 higher than their infrared counterparts. While the added module cost gets one appliance connected, i-Ctrl gets many users will be able AIFA’s i-Ctrl enables smartphone to appliances connected. to voice-control their control different home appliances It is worth noting that there are older home appliances that are infrared appliances that simply cannot connected to i-Ctrl, through including TV, set-top box, air be upgraded through Wi-Fi modules. smart speakers like Google conditioner, fan, etc. i-Ctrl can solve the problem. “With Home and Amazon Echo. remotely. i-Ctrl, you don’t need to upgrade, you can use your existing home appliances,” AN EASIER WAY TO SMART Ni said. LIFE Like controllers or smart gateways, i-Ctrl offers a relatively cost-effective i-Ctrl has the scheduling and scene way for people who want to experience functions, to turn on or off appliances smart home. at a pre-set time automatically, and to Lately many appliance brands have turn on or off multiple home appliances simultaneously. The utility and convenience that i-Ctrl adjustment, and can bring is clear. When you want to AIFA has a patented turn on the TV, air conditioner, etc., you technology to match the no longer need to fetch the remote first. transmission accordingly. Just take out the phone and control the appliances from there. SECURE CLOUD Also, some families have dozens of Also, extensive software development remote controls at home for different work was involved to create i-Ctrl. More appliances. With i-Ctrl, users will no specifically, software coding is necessary longer need to switch between remotes, in five components: infrared database; as the smartphone can now serve as a Wi-Fi firmware and modules; iOS app; universal remote. The elderly users Android app; and cloud software. Ni Wen-lu, General may find this utility especially i-Ctrl stands out in cloud security, Manager of AIFA helpful. as strong encryption and decryption Technology i-Ctrl is likely to have broad mechanisms have been installed. The appeal in today’s world that security mechanisms match the U.S. is still saturated with infrared National Security Agency standard, Ni appliances, which probably said, adding that this is necessary as total tens of billions in numerous hacker attacks occur on a daily number. i-Ctrl can potentially basis. turn them all into smart Because AIFA’s cloud links with Google appliances. Assistant and Amazon Alexa platforms,
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E X P L O R A T I O N
Smart home products were under the spotlight at CES 2018 and the industry has had a great year. Big brands have grown stronger, while smaller companies have united. Adoption of voice assistants has brought higher smart home awareness among endusers.
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he total value of smart home device shipments will grow from US$166.7 billion in 2017 to US$210.3 billion in 2018, representing a year-on-year increase of 26.1%, according to research firm IDC’s forecast. Shipment value will rise to US$339 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate of 15.2%. Alexa is everywhere. At the beginning of the year, Amazon announced two smart home startup acquisitions deals. It purchased security camera firm Blink and smart doorbell maker Ring. Blink contributes its security camera technology and low-power consumption chip, while Ring offers smart doorbell and home security system to help Amazon compete with Nest, Google’s smart home arm. Amazon showcased its hardware manufacturing power at the September hardware event, where the company introduced a new lineup of Alexapowered devices. The Echo Dot, Echo Plus and Echo Show were all upgraded. New devices with Alexa built-in are the Echo Input, a small gadget which turns every speaker into 10 mySMAhome.com 2018
By Elvina Yang, freelancer
2018 & 2019 Industry Trends for Smart Living Gadgets an Alexa-powered one, and their needs, to monitor voice the Echo Auto, that brings skills and devices from their Alexa into every car which own IT departments and to does not have Alexa included bring voice to daily tasks in the in-car software. with Alexa APIs provided by Several Alexa-compatible Amazon. devices were also announced, In mid-year Alexa for including the Echo Wall Hospitality was announced. Clock, AmazonBasics This Alexa version, tailored Adam Wright, Senior n Microwave. There are also to hotel needs, allows guests Analyst at IDC devices that aim to improve to have room services using the Echo sound quality, such as the their voice and bring their Alexa Echo Sub as subwoofer, the Echo Link experience with them in hotel rooms. and Echo Link Amp. VOICE ASSISTANT Ring’s latest Stick Up Cam with BATTLES wired and battery models were also Another major smart home platform, introduced at the event. The updated Google Assistant, has set some version, in addition to improved milestones as well in the year. hardware units, offers integration with Google launched the Google Home Ring’s new Alarm security system and Hub, its first-ever smart speaker with a Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa. touchscreen, to answer the completion Alexa-enabled devices made by of the Amazon Echo Show. ThirdAmazon across product categories party manufacturers including Lenovo, show the company’s ambition to bring LG and JBL also released devices Alexa to as many places as possible, supporting Google Smart Displays. including offices and hotels. Responding to Amazon’s expansion Earlier this year Amazon introduced in the smart home market, Google Alexa for Business, a version of brought Nest back under its arm to Alexa for the workplace. It lets each be integrated into Google’s home and company develop the voice skill fitting
living room products team. Google still keeps the Nest brand name. With the development, Nest and Google’s home products are expected to have more integrations. For instance, Google Assistant became part of the Nest Cam IQ camera, while Google Home Hub can control Nest devices with native footage support. Apple, another voice assistant owner, also released its first smart speaker, the HomePod, in February this year. The device has seen little adoption due to its higher price of US$349. Alexa-Cortana integration became public in August, and combined the strengths from the two assistants. Cortana knows the best about user’s Outlook emails and schedules, while Alexa can help on shopping and smart home automation. The U.S. has led the worldwide smart speaker sales in 2018. As of May, smart speakers have reached 54.4 million
users among the 252 million adult population in the U.S., according to a survey conducted by voice technology firm Voicebot and voice AI platform Voysis. Research firm eMarketer expects 90 million users in the U.S. to have smart speakers at home. Amazon Alexa had 62% of intelligent assistant market share worldwide by the end of 2017, while Google Assistant had about 25% of the market share, according to research firm Statista. Amazon still leads the market in 2018, although Google Assistant has gained more share. The platform war between Alexa and Google Assistant is like to intensify in 2019.
JOIN FORCES TO COMPETE Aside from the battle between Amazon and Google, several companies have teamed up to tackle the smart home market. The smart home market
is not a start-up game anymore. It has started to ask for collective capital, technology and talents for companies win a place in the competitive market. U.S. internet service provider Comcast acquired Stringify in 2017, a platform similar to IFTTT to connect various devices together. The company this year integrated the technology from Stringify and released routines feature for its home automation service. Long-time HVAC player Johnson Controls purchased smart thermostat maker Lux, aiming to move further in the industry. Swedish lock company Assa Abloy bought smart lock maker August Home in late 2017, and integrated August Home’s software into its own smart lock brand Yale this year. U.S. Retail Best Buy acquired GreatCall, a U.S.-based digital home healthcare service provider for seniors, 2018 mySMAhome.com 11
E X P L O R A T I O N
12 Smart Living Gadgets for Christmas Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Generation) The third generation of Echo Dot has a new rounded top design with three color fabric covers, to render to less tech-savvy look and more gently fit into home decoration. It delivers better audio as well. The 1.6-inch speaker sends audio in 360 degree, while the previous version uses multiple port holes to play audio. Amazon claims the new device is 70% louder and offers better audio compared with the older version. Amazon Alexa offers more than 50,000 voice skills, allowing users to listen to music, ask for weather forecast, make free audio calls and control smart home devices using their voice. The latest Echo Dot costs US$49.99. • Amazon • www.amazon.com
August Smart Lock Pro The August Smart Lock Pro has nice design and supports multiple home platforms and third-party devices. In the August mobile app, homeowners can lock and unlock the door from anywhere and directly give door access to their friends or family members. It locks the door automatically when homeowners leave the house. With the company’s DoorSense technology, they can check the door’s lock status anytime in the app. When homeowners install the August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge, it enables the device to work with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It also works with IFTTT, Nest, Logitech, Wink, Honeywell and SimpliSafe. It has Z-Wave Plus technology on board and is powered by 4 AA batteries. The August Smart Lock Pro costs US$229. The Smart Lock Pro with Connect WiFi Bridge cost US$279. • August Home • august.com
Roku Premiere+ By plugging the Roku streaming device into the television, users can start watching their favorite streaming video services, from Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Sling TV. The Premiere+ device delivers HD, 4K and HDR video quality. Users can control the streaming device via the remotelike Roku app or with voice command. Roku’s voice search supports video clips search by title, actor or director across more than 1,000 channels. It also works with Google Assistant, allowing users to ask the assistant to play a certain songs on Spotify or to adjust volume levels. Roku Premiere+ is available for US$49.99. • Roku • www.roku.com
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Philips Hue White Starter Kit E26 The starter kit includes two Philips Hue E26 smart light bulbs and a Hue Bridge device, a control panel for the Hue ecosystem. The E26 smart light bulb is a dimmable device featuring 2700K warm white color with 800 lumen and 25,000 hours of usage time. The Bridge lets the bulbs work with other platforms and supports a maximum of 50 light bulbs simultaneously. From the mobile app, users can control the Philips Hue lights remotely as well as setting up lighting schedules to turn on and off lights at home automatically. The devices work with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing users to turn on lights or call up pre-set scenes with their voice. The Starter Kit is available for US$69.99. • Philips Hue • www2.meethue.com
Google Home Hub
Arlo Pro 2 Security Camera
Google Home Hub features a 7-inch touchscreen and a speaker base covered by colorful fabrics, the same design elements seen on Google’s other speakers. Just like other smart speakers powered by Google Smart Display, the device presents a handful of visual information besides answering user’s query with voice. For instance, it shows one-week weather forecast when users ask about the weather; and it shows the driving route when users ask about directions. The Home View dashboard, activated by simply sliding down from the top of the screen, lets users see and manage all connected devices at home, including smart locks, security cameras and thermostats. The device integrates with user’s Google account and applications, giving user an immerse Google experience. It knows their schedules from the Google calendar and suggests video clips to watch using their YouTube viewing history. Google Home Hub is available at US$149.
Arlo Pro 2 can be used as either an indoor or outdoor security camera. It has the IP65 rating to be weather resistant, and is powered by rechargeable battery to be used wireless anywhere around home. The camera records 1080p HD videos with night vision, detects sound and motion and captures an activity for 3 seconds before the device is triggered. Users can either have the basic 7-day cloud recording plan for free or subscribe to Arlo’s cloud plan to have extended storage and advanced features such as person detection. The camera works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT and Stringify. Homeowners are required to have a base station to make everything works. Arlo Pro 2 is available for US$219.99 while the required base station costs US$79.99. • Arlo • arlo.com
• Google • store.google.com
Nest Thermostat E Nest’s affordable thermostat model has a white plastic-like ring design and a frosted glass in front of the display, making it easy to blend in on a white wall. It allows homeowners to adjust home temperature remotely, from their smartphones, tablets or laptops. They can even set up schedules or adjust temperatures in every single room at home with the temperature sensor sold separately by Nest. The thermostat can also detect user’s location depending on the smartphone’s current place to adjust the home temperature accordingly. It produces energy consumption report, so that users can be better informed about the power usage at home. The Nest Thermostat E costs US$169. • Nest • nest.com
Belkin Wemo Insight Smart Plug A smart plug turns a traditional device into a smart one. But the Wemo Insight Smart Plug can do more. It allows users to schedule a device when to be turned on or off, and gives real-time energy consumption report on each plugged device via its mobile app. With the Away Mode, it protects user’s home by turning lights on and off randomly, creating a “someone’s home” scene when they are on vacations. It works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Nest and IFTTT. The Wemo Insight Smart Plug is available for US$49.99. • Belkin • www.belkin.com
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Messe Frankfurt Opens the Door to Asia’s Security & Fire Safety Markets Security Smart home Smart city Connected IoT solutions Fire and safety
4 shows w 62,500 square meters w 72,000 visitors
25 – 27 April 2019 Mumbai, India
8 – 10 May 2019 Taipei, Taiwan
14 – 16 August 2019 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
October 2019 Bangkok, Thailand
F E A T U R E
IS IT THE RIGHT TIME MANAGEMENT
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TO ADOPT NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES? Today companies spend much money on utility, and among all the equipment running on electricity, those related to lighting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) are the biggest energy consumers. How to cut down their energy use to save money has been a trending topic for companies.
By John Liu
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ith the evolution of technologies, the methodologies employed to save energy has evolved, from using energyefficient electronics, to using automated devices and employing artificial intelligence (AI). For starters, companies may install energy-efficient devices like LED lights or other appliances that have green energy labels. More varied use in offices like open-office designs and mixed-purpose spaces may also help. Nest Thermostat is a good example, which can assist in keeping a comfortable indoor environment while saving energy. The device’s sensors detect temperature, humidity, lighting and activity levels, and after taking all the data into consideration, it Coralie Feillault, PR provides the optimal temperature setting. It also & Communication Officer of NodOn learns users’ temperature setting patterns throughout the day and remembers them, so that it can automate temperature adjustments on behalf of users in the future. To increase energy efficiency in lightings, the intelligent lighting control and management system (LCMS) can be deployed in up to 90% of public and commercial spaces. The system can be connected to various kinds of lighting including LED lights, mercury-vapor lamp, high-intensity discharge lamp placed in garages, gyms, storage facilities, etc. As all the lights are connected to the LCMS, they can be controlled manually or automatically based on time, area or user demand. The lights will be monitored to check their efficiency adjusted individually. In the U.S., there are over 30 companies specializing in providing Internet of Things (IoT) solutions that help companies cut down energy use. Among them are IoT device makers and solution companies that serve utility firms as well as end users. Adopting energy-saving methods can decrease energy consumption between 20-50%, according to most solution providers.
DEVICES TO ENABLE AUTOMATION To save energy consumption, many offices adopt methods that require little changes in building infrastructure like installing lightweight data centers and plug-in equipment so that may be switched on and off and adjusted automatically. To fully take advantage of the IoT technology,
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Amazon Leads Global Smart Speaker Market Sales in Q3
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mazon took back the top seller title from Google in the smart speaker market in the third quarter this year, according to research firm Canalys. Amazon sold 6.3 million Echo devices between July and September, while Google had 5.9 million Google Home speakers shipped. Google Home Mini was ranked the best-selling voice-enabled speaker in the second quarter of 2018, followed by Amazon’s Echo Dot, according to Strategy Analytics. The latest report showed Amazon Echo devices are back to be the best seller. One of the main factors boosting the Echo sales was
Amazon’s Prime Day, a discount festival hosted by the e-commerce giant. The discounted Echo devices successfully drove sales. Worldwide smart speaker shipment reached 19.7 million in the third quarter, growing 137% year-over-year, from 8.3 million a year ago. “The fight for dominance between Amazon and Google not only helped the US grow 30%, but also influenced other key markets, such as the UK, Canada and Australia,” Canalys’ report says.
China’s Smart Speaker Shipments Grow over 1,000% Annually
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hanks to low prices and heavy discounting, smart speaker sales in China saw meteoric rise over the past year, according to a report by Strategy Analytics. Alibaba shipped 2.2 million smart speakers between July and September, up from 100,000 units in the same period last year, growing a staggering 1,692%. Another tech giant Xiaomi shipped 1.9 million units, up from 100,000 a year ago, registering a growth rate of 1,800%. Baidu also shipped 1.9 million smart speakers. The company just launched its first entry-level smart speaker in June. China has rapidly emerged this year as the second largest market for smart speakers after the USA and is forecast to see a twelve-fold annual increase in shipments for 2018, said David Watkins, Director at Strategy Analytics. “Low prices and heavy discounting has been a key driver of growth for Alibaba and
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Xiaomi in China and so Baidu’s move makes clear its ambition to rapidly scale is DuerOS voice platform in the home.”
Shipments of All Smart Home Device Categories to Spike through 2022
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he worldwide smart home devices market is expected to grow 31% year-on-year to 643.9 million shipments in 2018, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Smart Home Device Tracker. The fastest-growing device category will be smart speaker, which is forecast to register a compound annual growth rate of 39.1% between 2018 and 2022. The voice technology is on track of continuous development and innovation. While smart speakers remain to be prevalent voice devices, more and more device types – such as thermostats and microwave oven – are gaining voice capability. “Not only do these help to increase the number of touch points available to end users, but it also helps each assistant to grow by expanding reach and
gaining a deeper understanding of what, when, and how users approach various tasks,” said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst for IDC Mobile Device Trackers.
Zigbee-enabled Lighting Market to Grow 18% over Next 5 Years
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hanks to growing smart home adoptions, the Zigbee-enabled lighting market is forecast to grow at an annual compound growth rate of 18.38% between 2017 and 2023, according to a recent report published by Research and Markets. The awareness about energy conservation is also driving the Zigbee market, as the wireless protocol is known for low-power consumption and being adopted in alarm systems, multi-channel control systems, lighting control and other industrial applications. Government initiatives for smart city project is another factor leading to increasing installation of ZigBee protocol to reduce energy consumption.
Among all the regions, North America has the highest Zigbee applications as this region has maximum industrial automation and higher adoption of smart homes. Moreover, North America has a higher concentration of companies providing Zigbee products and platform solutions. These vendors include large enterprises like Texas Instruments, Microchip technology as well as many start-ups.
U.S. Demand for Smart and Connected Thermostats Grows 18% Annually
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mart and connected thermostats are getting increasingly popular in U.S. households, and the demand is forecast to grow 18% per year through 2022, according to a report by The Freedonia Group. The smart and connected thermostat market size totaled US$640 million in 2017. In 2022, smart thermostats will take more than 70% of the market share, thanks to their declining prices, better performance, capacity to cut energy costs and ability to integrate with various smart home devices, says the research institute. As thermostat purchases tend to correspond with the end of HVAC system lifecycles (15-20 years), thermostat manufacturers are forming strategic partnerships with utilities, HVAC professionals, etc. to expand near-term smart and connected thermostat adoption – particularly among lower-income households.
Vendors have tried to penetrate new markets via giveaways, rebates, discounts or philanthropic promotions. While the practice may undercut short-term revenues, it will nevertheless generate longterm demand gains, by creating a new customer base for future thermostat replacement purchases, says The Freedonia Group.
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F O C U S
By John Liu
China and Japan Take the Lead in Smart Home Adoption in Asia The Asian smart home market will grow to US$26 billion by 2022, and the region will have the largest annual smart home device shipment, representing 43 percent of the global total, according to IHS Markit’s forecast.
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esearch institutes have concurred that the Asian region is poised to see the fastest growth in the emerging smart home market, thanks partly to the growing adoption in China, the second largest economy in the world. In addition, the populations in Japan, South Korea and Australia have grown more accustomed to smart home technologies. “The main countries driving growth in Asia
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are China, Korea and Japan, due to the high penetration of other technologies such as the internet and smartphones, which serve as basic platforms to smart home market development,” said Liliana Alvarez Temix, senior analyst at IHS Markit. China is leading the market in terms of device shipment. In addition to the market size, promotion of low-cost smart home devices by some consumer-focused Chinese companies is also a main driver, according to Jonathan Collins, Smart Home Research Director at ABI Research. Japan and South Korea are catching this technology wave as local service providers, electronics makers and consumers themselves are more willing to embrace smart home functionalities, Collins added. Australia also has a lot of potential, thanks to its solid home security user base that is gradually transitioning to smart home users, as well as U.S. manufacturers’ entry into the market without investing huge effort in marketing/customer support redesign, Collins said. Government policies are also at play. “Chinese local government is trying to build smart home communities. They have some policies that encourage real estate developers to include smart home features
into their properties,” said Tracy Tsai, Research VP with Gartner's Personal Technologies team. Japan and South Korea, on the other hand, have smart city initiatives that help to drive smart home adoption. The two markets have certainly created a degree of acceptance and seen more promotion for smart home devices as a corollary to smart city investment, Collins said. “Greater home and city connectivity provides a firm foundation for smart home functionality and appeal.”
POPULAR SMART PRODUCTS IN CHINA Devices that are getting popular in China include smart speakers, smart locks and air purifiers. Like how smart speakers gained traction in the U.S., a similar situation is happening in China. Alibaba’s Tmall Genie, Xiaomi Mi AI Speaker and Baidu
Jonathan Collins, Smart Home Research Director at ABI Research
Tracy Tsai, Research VP with Gartner’s Personal Technologies team
Raven are some of better-known products. Most uses cases, however, are still related to functional tasks like listening to music, alarm clocks, checking the weather, etc. Connecting to smart home devices are not common, because smart home device – even for lighting control, for example – are relatively expensive and also difficult to set up, Gartner’s Tsai pointed out. Adoption of smart locks that can be controlled via mobile phone, card or password have also grown, thanks to the convenience they bring and rising demand by rental property owners who want to avoid the hassle of changing keys for safety reason.
JAPAN PROGRESSES FASTER WITH SMART ENERGY MANAGEMENT Japan’s smart home market is expected to reach US$5 billion by 2024, growing almost five-fold from the size in 2017, according to Renub Research. Energy management has been the primary smart home application in Japan. Since the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, the government of Japan has put greater emphasis on building energy-efficient smart homes and supportive devices. The earthquake caused a series of crisis including nuclear power plant damages and electricity shortage as a consequence. Demand for home energy saving rose, as utility cost during peak hours can be six times higher than
the lowest rate. Many households therefore installed smart meters, solar cells and power storage devices, which need to be controlled via home energy management systems. The government then put down another 30 billion Japanese yen (about US$267.5 million) in 2011 to facilitate the implementation of home and building energy management systems. The government also initiated establishing the ECHONET wireless protocol designed specifically for smart home devices. The protocol, which is claimed to be compatible with 100-plus types of devices, is the wireless communication choice of the smart meters in Japan. Many families purchased ECHONET-compatible devices in order to get the government subsidy. Smart meters help homeowners monitor and conserve their energy use. “In Japan, there is an energy-saving policy that encourages the homes to install smart meters that can monitor the usage of the utility and are also easier to connect to other home devices,” said Gartner’s VP analyst Tracy Tsai.
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GLOBAL LAUNCHES
IKEA and Xiaomi to Establish Smart Home Ecosystem Swedish furniture company IKEA has announced a partnership with Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi to form a smart home ecosystem. Starting in December, the partnership will connect IKEA’s line of smart lighting products to Xiaomi’s IoT platform. In other words, Xiaomi’s Mi Home app and voice assistant Xiao Ai will be able to control smart lighting devices of IKEA.
Sprint Partners with HTC to Launch 5G Smart Home Hub in 2019
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print, the fourth-largest telecommunication firm in the U.S., announced it will release a 5G-powered mobile “smart hub” next year, which will “deliver multimedia and connected data capabilities in a compact design,” the company said. The device will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile platform and the Snapdragon X50 5G modem, and is a collaboration with HTC, a Taiwanese mobile device maker.
Resideo Now Trading as a Stand-Alone Smart Home Company
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esideo Technologies, a global provider of residential comfort and security solutions, and distributor of low-voltage and security products, is now a stand-alone, publicly traded company following its spinoff from Honeywell International. Resideo will establish a headquarters in Austin, Texas, in early 2019. The company rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on October 30. “We believe there is a tremendous opportunity to connect the complex systems of a modern home in simple, intuitive ways,” said Mike Nefkens, president of Resideo.
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Facebook Debuts Video-Calling Device with Alexa Built-In for Homes
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acebook has introduced its first hardware product for the smart home market – Portal, a voicecontrolled device for video chats at home with Alexa built-in. Portal lets users call a friend via Facebook Messenger using their voice. Since Facebook’s self-made voice-control interface don’t support many applications, Portal has Amazon Alexa built-in, allowing users to ask about the weather, traffic and to give home automation orders.
LINE Unveils IoT Platform to Control Smart Devices via Text
M
essaging app Line showed a new way to control smart home devices at IFA 2018. While the industry sees voice as the trending method to control devices, Line wants to keep the old-fashion texting. The new platform, called Line Things, is an IoT control platform based on texting. While new smart home technologies may be complicated and confusing for some, the Line platform could make things easier and attract others to try out smart home technologies.
ASIAN HEADLINES Panasonic Launches Smart Home and Smart Car Initiatives in China
P
anasonic has launched a research center southwest of Beijing with an emphasis on smart home and smart vehicle development for the Chinese market. The research center is located in the Xiongan New Area, a smart city project launched in 2017 by the government. Panasonic will focus on developing AI technologies that can be applied in improving residential safety and energy efficiency. It will also establish information systems in collaboration with Chinese online search engine Baidu for selfdriving vehicle applications, according to online media sources.
Samsung Improves SmartThings Developer Program and Debuts Smart TV Voice API
S
amsung has announced an upgraded SmartThings developer platform and voicecontrol API for its smart TVs at its annual developer conference in San Francisco, sharpening the company’s focus on the connected home. The renewed “Works With SmartThings” certification program includes a new suite of development tools. The SmartThings Developer Workspace will include the SmartThings Cloud Connector, SmartThings Device Kit and SmartThings Hub Connector. With these tools, developers can more easily enable their devices to support the SmartThings platform.
Nokia Helps to Establish Smart Homes in Thailand by Enabling Mesh Wi-Fi
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okia has teamed up with Thailand-based broadband provider AIS Fibre to provide mesh Wi-Fi to facilitate the creation of smart home environment in the country. Nokia’s WiFi solution creates a meshed network that eliminates dead spots and optimizes performance to ensure homeowners receive a seamless ultra-broadband experience, regardless of the device being used. AIS Fibre says it is committed to creating a new smart home digitally as well as giving digital life experiences to Thai people.
2018 mySMAhome.com 47
SOURCING GUIDE
HOME SECURITY • HOME AUTOMATION • CONNECTED HOME
2018 Winter Edition
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200 COMPANIES era Item d m tem Ca I ate l l e e ro R Hom Door ont C & k& ch c t i o w L y, S a Item w d e t e t Ga ela R g htin g i L
Key Component & Module 2018 mySMAhome.com 51
S O U R C I N G
G U I D E
SMART HOME SOURCING GUIDE - 2018 WINTER Top picked 200 original manufacturers and suppliers' info for international buyers' sourcing of home security, home automation and connected home.
WiFi-based Makers COMPANY
Country
Website
Main Category
A/S COSESY
Denmark
www.cosesy.com
partner@cosesy.com
Software/Platform Design
ABB
Germany
www.abb.com/buildings
contact.center@de.abb.com
Home Automation&Controls
AFIDUS
Taiwan
www.afidus.com
sales@afidus.com
Home Security
AHOKU ELECTRONIC
Taiwan
www.ahoku.com
sales@ahoku.com
Home Security
AIFA TECHNOLOGY
Taiwan
www.aifa-develop.com
aifa@aifa.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
AIRLIVE (OVISLINK)
Taiwan
www.airlivesecurity.com
info@airlive.com
Home Security
ALPHA NETWORKS
Taiwan
www.alphanetworks.com
sales@alphanetworks.com
Home Security
AMARYLLO
Netherlands
www.amaryllo.eu
sales.ai@amaryllo.eu
Home Security
AMBI LABS
Hong Kong
www.ambiclimate.com
social@ambiclimate.com
Home Automation&Controls
ARDOMUS NETWORKS
Taiwan
www.ardomusnet.com
contact@ardomusnet.com
Home Automation&Controls
ARM TAIWAN
UK
www.arm.com
support@arm.com
Software/Platform Design
ASROCK
Taiwan
www.asrock.com
marketing@asrock.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
AVADESIGN TECHNOLOGY
Taiwan
www.avadesign.com.tw
john@avadesign.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
AYLA NETWORKS
USA
www.aylanetworks.com
contact@ayla.com.cn
Software/Platform Design
BATIO
Korea
www.batio.co.kr
sales@batio.co.kr
Home Security
BINTRONIC
Taiwan
www.bintronic.com
bintronic@bintronic.com
Home Automation&Controls
BRAINCHILD ELECTRONIC
Taiwan
www.brainchild.com.tw
jeffchang@brainchild.com.tw
Home Security
BRINNO
Taiwan
www.brinno.com
sales@brinno.com
Home Security
CAP-TECH
Taiwan
www.cap-homey.com
servicebest@cap-tech.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
CHINA SECURITY & FIRE IOT SENSING IHORN
China
www.ihorn-tech.com
rita.xie@ihornmail.com
Smart Home Alarm Panel Beam Sensor
CLIMAX
Taiwan
www.climax.com.tw
sales@climax.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
COMMAX
Korea
www.commax.com/eng
pcy@commax.com
Home Security
CVICLOUD
Taiwan
www.opro9.com
opro9.sales@opro9.com
Home Energy&Lighting
DAHUA
China
www.dahuasecurity.com
overseas@dahuatech.com
Home Security
DEXATEK
Taiwan
www.dexatek.com
sales@dexatek.com
Home Automation&Controls
D-LINK
Taiwan
www.dlink.com
sales@dlink.com
Home Automation&Controls
ECOA
Taiwan
www.ecoa.com.tw
info@ecoa.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
EDIMAX TECHNOLOGY
Taiwan
www.edimax.com
marketing@edimax.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
EQL
Taiwan
www.eqltech.com
contact@eqltech.com
Home Automation&Controls
52 mySMAhome.com 2018
a&s Keeps You Informed of the Leveraging robust media resources and decades of experience in the industry, a&s Magazines head towards the IoT era with a single platform that can connect security and IoT suppliers and buyers for smart and safe cities, building and home automation, mobility, and industrial IoT.
Available globally:
Latest Industry News Smart & Safe City • Mobility • Smart Building & Home • Industrial IoT
Join our community:
Registered website members by business nature Users 3% Others 3% Consultants 10% Distributors Systems Integrators 11%
28%
Importers / Sales 7% Installers 12%
Manufacturers 26%
Registered website members by region Asia 32%
EMEA
39%
Europe 23% Middle East 9% Africa 7% Oceania 7%
Americas 22%
Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd.
P R O D U C T
HOME SECURITY
Brinno
BRINNO DUO www.brinno.com
Arlo
AUDIO DOORBELL www.arlo.com
The Arlo Audio Doorbell lets users respond to visitors, guests and delivery people or ward off intruders right from a phone or tablet. Visitors can leave a message when the homeowner is unable to answer the door. The homeowner gets a call on the smartphone or tablet when someone presses the Arlo Doorbell, and receives a notification if another family member accepts the call. • Supports remote communications and receives a notification if another family member accepts the call • Supports mobile notifications, give instructions to delivery people or ward off intruders from the smartphone or tablet • Lets visitors leave messages when the homeowner is unable to answer the door • Wire-free and weather-resistant design • Includes rolling 7-day cloud recording
Brinno Duo peephole camera turns a regular door peephole into a security camera. Users can check on their homes from their smartphone while the visitor is at the door. The devices features dual screen with one 2.7-inch LED screen inside the door, showing what’s being captured outside by the camera. Brinno DUO creates two sets of visitor log files: one on the SD card in the device at home and the other one in the designated email box of the user’s choice. • Captures and stores images behind the door on a local SD card • The camera sends images of the visitor to the designated email box and sends alert messages to the mobile phone • Creates two sets of visitor log files: on the SD card in the device at home and in the designated email box • Visitors’ images are automatically sent to the mobile phone screen via email and/or the Brinno app
igloohome
SMART PADLOCK www.igloohome.co
EZVIZ
EZGUARD PLUS www.ezvizlife.com
EZVIZ ezGuard Plus can be controlled through an intuitive app, which also shows live footage. The device supports voice activation, and is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. The weatherproof camera features HD 1080p video quality, two-way audio and motion detection. The device can be configured to trigger action of other smart devices in the home when movement is detected outside. It also features infrared light up to 30 meters, anti-reflection panel and ICR infrared filter. • Features full HD 1080p video and two-way audio • Supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi communication • Infrared night vision up to 30 meters • Features IP 66 dust and water protection • Supports MicroSD card up to 128GB • Features a built-in strobe light and alarm to deter intruders
Smart Padlock adopts PIN code technology that allows homeowners to grant remote access without using an app. Property owners can grant access to their homes, yards and facilities via PIN codes or Bluetooth keys. The Smart Padlock grants time-sensitive access that supports a high turnover of users, and works for a wide variety of scenarios, including typical Airbnb rental or bicycle sharing. Key functionality includes the ability to set recurring, period-based, one-time or permanent PIN codes. • One-time, period-based and recurring PIN codes • Customizes access levels for different users • Grants access remotely by sending PIN codes or Bluetooth keys • Easy to manage via the igloohome app • Features tamper deterrence and security lockout • Track dates and times when the padlock was accessed
2018 mySMAhome.com 67
P R O D U C T Dahua Technology
AUTOMATION & CONTROL
VTO9341D www.dahuasecurity.com
Dahua Technology’s new apartment outdoor station VTO9341D provides new access control solutions to fence and lobby entrances with facial recognition technology. The product features 2MP CMOS image sensor to capture the face in high-definition, saving up to 20,000 faces. It also features Auto Gain Control that supplements white light to cope with poorly-lighted conditions, enabling night vision for the outdoor station. The product supports multiple unlocking methods via card, fingerprint and password. • 10-inch IPS touch screen • Night vision • 2MP CMOS camera • Unlock via face recognition, password, card, fingerprint or remote control • Aluminum alloy plate, IP55, IK07 • Supports audio and video advertising
Panasonic
HOMEX www.panasonic.com
HomeX smart home hub has a control panel and can be mounted on the wall. The touchscreen lets users control connected devices at home, including thermostat, security cameras, smart doorbells, smart refrigerators and more. Panasonic smart refrigerator can tell the HomeX what is still inside, and the home hub will then show cooking instructions and monitor the temperature of a Panasonic cooker. The device features learning capability that remembers the user’s daily routines and preferences over time, and offers suggestions based on past user activities. • Supports music playback, security control, timer, alarm and weather reports • The display provides relevant information on the screen • Features learning capability that remembers the user’s daily routines and preferences over time, and offers suggestions based on past user activities • Connectivity and interaction with connected devices—thermostat, security cameras, smart doorbells, smart refrigerators, etc.
Nortek Security & Control
ELAN INTELLIGENT VIDEO DOORBELL www.elanhomesystems.com
The ELAN Intelligent Video Doorbell allows users to answer the door either in the home or remotely. With advanced motion analytics, it can distinguish between people and moving objects such as a passing car and swaying trees. The video doorbell delivers automatic and authentic movement-based notifications when someone approaches the door. The doorbell features easy setup and auto-configuration right into an ELAN system. • Allows users to answer the door from anywhere • Integrates motion analytics to distinguish between people and moving objects such as passing cars and swaying trees • Delivers automatic and authentic movement-based notifications when someone approaches the door • Features video recording and monitoring • Supports camera tamper feature that sends an alert if the camera lens is covered
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Nortek Security & Control
ELAN TOUCH PANEL www.elanhomesystems.com
With facial recognition and advanced motion analytics enabled by Nortek Security & Control’s IntelliVision, the touch panel can respond to individual users with personalized options. The panel may be used to monitor and playback ELAN surveillance cameras or video recorder footage. Two-way audio and video enables communication with video doorbells, paging or ELAN Intercom. • Voice control • Dual digital MEMS microphone-array • High-resolution display • Easy configuration and setup • 12VDC power supply • Wi-Fi/Ethernet connectivity