According to IDC 2017 global smart home device shipments total 433.1 million-- a 27.6% increase over 2016, a result set to increase to 939.7m device by 2022 with a CAGR of 18.5% over the forecast period.
The fastest growing category within the smart home market remains smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home, while all categories except video entertainment products should see a double-digit CAGR over the same period. The market is also seeing some "significant" changes, as both vendors and customers are less interested in central hub devices and more in a common interface tying myriad smart devices together.
"While it's still early days for the smart home market-- and the wider consumer IoT ecosystem in general-- we expect to see considerable growth over the next few years, especially as consumers become more aware of and increasingly interact with smart assistant platforms like Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant," the analyst says. "Whether in the form of a smart speaker or embedded in a thermostat, fridge, TV, or any other device, smart assistants are quickly becoming the cornerstone of consumer IoT by enhancing the accessibility, use, and functionality of connected devices, which will noticeably boost adoption rates in the near future."
First presented back at CES 2018, the MP-CD1 projects 854 x 480 resolution images at 105 lumens brightness. Texas Instruments DLP IntelliBright processing technology promises to boost brightness without compromising battery consumption, with a dynamic mode boosting projection brightness and saturation. An auto keystone correction system adjusts the image in case the projector is not on a flat surface, correcting the image to eliminate lean.
Wire and cable preparation, installation, hand termination and testing specialist Platinum Tools announces the Xpress Jack Termination Kit-- a kit designed to make keystone jack terminations "easier than ever."
The Elements Streamer has built-in support for a number of music services, including Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz and vTuner radio. Spotify Connect support is also included, as well playback of files from Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive and devices connected via either USB or network such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, PCs, NAS drives and music servers.
The Hub 360 offers 360-degree sound detection, allowing it to alert customers of particular sounds, such as a dog barking, smoke or carbon monoxide alarm going off, and windows or doors breaking, via notification in the Hive app. Users can check any potential sounds of interest recorded by the system through a 7-day log and audio clip history, and one can also mute the microphone in-app if required.
The partnership ensures products from the two companies provide built-in integration, creating a simple and easy to deploy, configure and use solution. Global Caché offers products able to connect any IR, serial and contact closure device to a wifi or IP network for control, automation and maintenance by network-based software, while Chaos is the developer of IRControl, a CE and home automation control system running on Android.
