New research highlights growth opportunities across smart home, security, energy management, connected health, home automation, and service-based business models

Parks Associates today released the new research report State of the Connected Home at the firm’s 30th annual CONNECTIONS™: The Premier Connected Home Conference, taking place May 5-7, 2026. Sponsors of the research include Alarm.com, Becklar, Calix, Johnson Controls, Kwikset, Origin Wireless, Rapid Response Monitoring, Raymond James, Silicon Labs, TechSee, and Vivint, an NRG Company.

The new report, now available as a complimentary download, examines the evolution of the connected home as the market shifts from device-led adoption to integrated, service-based ecosystems. The research highlights consumer adoption and purchase trends, product category growth, pain points in setup and use, and the expanding role of AI, interoperability, and managed services in shaping future demand.

“CONNECTIONS™ has tracked the connected home market for 30 years, from the earliest days of home networking to today’s AI-enabled services,” said Jennifer Kent, SVP and Principal Analyst, Parks Associates. “Our latest State of the Connected Home research shows the market is entering a new phase. Consumers are no longer evaluating smart home products only as standalone devices; they are looking for solutions that deliver safety, convenience, energy savings, wellness, and peace of mind through reliable, integrated experiences.”

The report addresses key areas shaping the connected home market, including:

  • Growth of connected devices and the expanding number of product categories in the home 
  • Consumer pain points with smart home setup, integration, reliability, and support 
  • Purchase trends and the buyer journey for connected devices and services 
  • Security and safety devices, including smart cameras, video doorbells, access control, and monitoring services 
  • Energy, lighting, water, and home energy management solutions 
  • Connected health, accessibility, aging-in-place, and caregiver support use cases 
  • Home improvement trends, pro versus DIY installation, movers, second homes, and channel opportunities 
  • Distribution strategies across retail, builders, utilities, security providers, HVAC providers, and multifamily channels

At CONNECTIONS™, Parks Associates analysts present new consumer and industry research across AI-powered smart home experiences, next-generation home security, data privacy and security, energy ecosystems, broadband and managed services, connected health, multifamily technology, and intelligent living platforms.

“Success in the connected home increasingly depends on solving real consumer problems and creating recurring value beyond the initial hardware purchase,” Kent said. “The companies that lead will be those that reduce complexity, build trust, and deliver services that are easy to use, with measurable benefits, and relevant to daily life.”

Parks Associates’ connected home research draws from its ongoing consumer research programs, including quarterly surveys of US internet households, industry analysis, and more than 40 years of longitudinal data on consumer technology adoption.

About Parks Associates

Parks Associates helps companies identify new opportunities, refine strategy, and accelerate growth in connected technology markets through data-driven insights and industry expertise. With more than 40 years of experience, the firm delivers proprietary consumer and industry research, market forecasts, and strategic analysis that guide business decisions across personal, connected home, small business, and commercial technology ecosystems. Parks Associates supports clients in navigating evolving markets including AI, security, smart home, broadband, entertainment, energy, multifamily, smart buildings, and connected health.

The firm also fosters industry growth and collaboration by convening thousands of leaders each year through its flagship executive conferences, including CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video.  Learn more at https://www.parksassociates.com.

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