Pandemic boosts smart home market

Neil Baldwin, Managing Director of electronic security specialist, ESP, looks at what is driving growth in the smart home market sector and how the launch of the company’s Fort Smart Security Range is perfectly timed to provide installers with the means to easily tap into this lucrative revenue stream.

The most recent report from Mintel – UK The Connected Home MarketReport 2021 – provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis of the UK Connected Home market, including the behaviours, preferences and habits of the consumer.

According to the report, the overall smart home market has been boosted by the lifestyle changes from COVID-19, with ownership of all connected home products increasing between March 2020 and March 2021. Older Millennials are expected to be key to the market’s long-term success as they are the most likely (66%) to say that spending time at home during COVID-19 has made them more likely to buy smart home devices. With a section of them intending to work from home in the long-term, this should help the overall connected home market.

As the pandemic recedes, we are having to adapt to a new normal and it is highly likely that we will spend more time in our homes than we did before the pandemic, as a result of working from home more than we did pre-COVID. The perennial key drivers for smart home adoption – such as convenience, security and energy saving – will continue to exert their influence.

Fort – the comprehensive smart security range

As the rise in demand for smart home products continues, there is ample opportunity for installers to tap into this burgeoning sector. ESP launched its Fort Smart Security range towards the end of 2021 with the aim of providing installers with a comprehensive range of products that covers all aspects of smart home security. It is designed to be straightforward to install and operate and offers them an ideal opportunity to make the most of the huge rise in demand for smart home products that shows no sign of abating.

Marketed under the brand name Fort, the complete range of smart security products includes intruder alarms, video doorbell, video security light, sensors and a selection of 1080p cameras, and they all operate under a single app – the ‘Click Smart+’ app. The app is completely subscription-free, with no additional fees incurred. By bringing the operation of the new Fort range under the well-established, tried and tested Click Smart+ app from Scolmore, users have control of a raft of connected home and security products all from one secure, easy to access platform.

The Fort Smart Security range has been designed to bring simple, smart solutions together for a safer and more comfortable home. At the heart of the range is the smart intruder alarm, which will support up to 32 RF devices and provide remote monitoring and alert notifications directly to the Click Smart+ app. The smart alarm is available in handy kits or can be purchased as separate devices for a tailor-made system.

There are six different kits in the range, with the basic kit containing one each of the following - a smart hub, PIR, door/window contact and remote control. Other kits offer an additional number of PIRs, door/window contacts and remote controls, and there are two kits which include Pet PIRs. All devices supplied within the kits are pre-registered, to assist with a straightforward install.

Scolmore’s comprehensive range of Click Smart+ products is designed to simplify and streamline connected home products - lighting controls, smart sockets, security cameras and sensors. The range utilises Zigbee technology one of the most widely adopted smart home communication protocols. Click Smart+ comprises the Smart Gateway Hub (the control centre of all Zigbee connected devices), 1 and 2-gang smart sockets, plug-in smart socket, switching and dimming receivers, camera, PIR sensor, window, and door sensor, plus a temperature and humidity sensor.

Strong early demand

ESP believes a key element to the early success of the Fort Smart Security range is its subscription-free app. Unlike some systems on the market which will provide a free basic system, but charge for additional devices and functions, users of the Fort smart security system will have full access to all devices and functions with no subscription fee or hidden costs to pay. The app provides an easy-to-use platform to remotely arm and disarm the system, whilst producing real time events such as activations and low battery indication status. In addition, the app supports a range of Click Smart+ home automation products which enables a range of sockets and switches to be activated in certain system scenarios.

A brochure covering the full Fort range can be downloaded at espuk.com and from the Scolmore Group app. A video can be viewed at youtu.be/3vy3N1unvHI.