"Internet of Things" articles

The recent rise of insurtechs has spurred modernization in the fundamentals of insurance, including policy creation, underwriting, and claims management. Insurtechs, such as Hippo and Lemonade, have implemented AI and data analytics to provide quick and accurate quotes to their customers while also decreasing their own operating costs. Such innovation has disrupted the traditional insurance industry and has helped alter underlying business models of legacy companies, forcing them to...

One of our mantras at Parks Associates is that many smart home device manufacturers need to strengthen their value propositions in order to win-over the mass market consumer and justify the higher price of connected products. In short, offer consumers more for more, more for less, or at least more for the same cost as competitors. The Yardian (a portmanteau, or mash-up, of “yard” and “guardian”) by Aeon Matrix is a smart irrigation controller that beefs up its...

Smart home device ownership tripled between 2014 and 2018, and households utilizing smart home technology now own an average of six devices. As the number of connected devices in the household increases, so does the consumer’s risk of exposure to a data privacy breach. That risk is amplified by devices like smart speakers with voice assistants (Amazon Echo, Google Home, etc.), which collect massive troves of data, while device manufacturers potentially harness that data without...

The smart home starts at the front door, with devices like smart door locks, networked cameras, smart garage door openers, and video doorbells representing not only a foundation for security solutions but also access points for a future world of services, including in-home and in-garage delivery, home rental solutions, pet and cleaning services, and much more. Parks Associates research shows video doorbells lead in adoption among the three primary access control devices. At the...

According to Parks Associates research, 28% of US broadband households now own at least one smart home device, and device-owning households own an average of six devices in their home. A newly published Parks Associates report, Race to Control the Smart Home Ecosystem: Attracting Partners , states that as device adoption continues to increase each year, smart home platforms will help establish order out of the chaos that comes from the steady influx of connected devices in...

“What will it take for smart home to reach mass market adoption?” Recently, I explored this perennial industry question at Parks Associates CONNECTIONS 2019 conference. While we regularly discuss everything from compelling use cases to value propositions, I presented a few thoughts on drivers and barriers around the notion of “building on Early Adopter cheers and overcoming Mass Market fears.” Now, if we’re thinking in terms of Geoffrey Moore’s classic...

International research firm Parks Associates announced that its 23rd-annual CONNECTIONS conference will feature the Connected Car Corner, by InstallerNet, to highlight the role of smart automotive and mobile solutions in the smart home ecosystem. New research from the firm reveals 4% of U.S. broadband households have an in-car voice assistant device, such as the Amazon Echo Auto, Roav Viva, or Muse Auto, and 9% plan to buy one in the next 12 months. Parks Associates estimates the...

Last week at the Consumer Electronics Show (2019) in Las Vegas, the latest innovations and trends in the automotive market were on showcase. The event featured new product announcements from major players such as Ford, HARMAN, Volkswagen, Audi, and more. Below are five key trends from CES that we expect to influence the market in 2019: Authentication technologies – Parks Associates research shows increasing consumer concerns around companies and hackers stealing their data...