As part of my research I wanted to look at some of the current smart-home systems that are currently available. I done this to get a better understanding of what is out there at the minute and look in-depth at them, to see what they are doing good and where there are potential gaps.
The main smart home system that is popular at the moment is the Amazon Alexa. Alexa allows users to control various aspects of their home, such as lighting, music, and security. Alexa doesn’t have a user interface that can be pressed or control, but instead works by voice command. Of course there is a companion app that can be used for more complex tasks, but it is most commonly used with voice commands. It is used often for productivity for things like setting timers, adding items to shopping lists, or leaving messages for other family members. It can also be used to browse the web, in particularly asking questions and finding out information. Alexa has the ability to learn us and adapt to our routines and what we do most frequently, therefore over time it fosters a sense of trust to it’s users, and sometimes feels like a real personal assistant. What I love about Alexa is the hands free interface, and since it has a name it makes the relationship between the user and machine feel more genuine, and this is displayed best with it’s conversational tone of voice.
Amazon Alexa – Learn what Alexa can do | Amazon.com
Google Nest is another smart home eco-system that is commonly used in households these days. Nest has a specific focus on HVAC, lighting, entertainment, and security systems, and there a few different devices that do different things. The Nest Hub is one of their devices, and acts as a whole eco-system that does a little bit of everything. It’s main selling point is that it becomes a part of your home and family, and this is because of it’s personalisation. You can set family or pet photos to enhance the ‘family’ aspect or the Nest Hub. Unlike Alexa, Nest Hub has a screen that is used to control the home, and it looks like a tablet or iPad that can be mounted and set up anywhere. With it’s speakers it can be used for reminders, to-do lists, and overall helping with a busy home. I love how Nest Hub can be personalised so that it feels unique to each user, and can really become part of the family.
Nest Smart Displays & Home Hubs - Google Store
Apple Home is the smart home eco-system that tech leader Apple has to offer. I personally haven’t heard of anyone who uses this and looking at the amount of devices and the prices shows that this is probably tailored toward wealthier people. The main interface can be accessed on any Apple device, for example a phone, iPad, or Mac. It’s goal is for the user to be able to control their home from any of their Apple device, and create a seamless living experience. The main features are the cameras, lights, climate, and security. A feature that I thought was quite cool was the ‘Guest’ feature, which allows the home owner to give access to a guest to have certain control over the house. The home owner can give as much access as they please, allowing guests to also benefit from the eco-system. I love how luxurious and seamless this makes home living, but it seems like you will need to buy a lot of different devices to get the best experience. This makes it quite exclusive only to those who can afford it.
Doing this competitor analysis has helped me a lot to understand what the industry of smart home eco-systems looks like, and what the industry leaders are doing. I have learnt the importance of the smart home system being trustworthy and familiar, with Alexa and Nest using different features to ensure that their users are comfortable with them and how they become part of the family. This is something that I will take on board for my project and will consider giving my device a name, a conversational tone of voice, or adding personalisation. Doing this has been a good stepping stone for my project and has been extremely helpful.