Chris Boross, President at Thread Group, provides insight into the future of smart homes and how to connect them:

What is the most important next step to engage consumers in smart home solutions, connected entertainment services, and/or value-added services like tech support and connected health?

Thread believes that reducing fragmentation is critical to engage consumers in smart home solutions. Consumers shouldn’t need to understand all the technical details and protocols that power their connected devices nor require “tech support” to have the connected home experience – they just want their products to work.

Security and privacy of data is also a major concern to consumers in the connected home so it’s critical that we provide consumers with the peace of mind that there will be no security issues with their connected devices. In order to do this, security must be provided at every level in the ecosystem, from the technology protocols to product manufacturers. If these two obstacles are overcome, the promise of an easy and secure connected home can become a widespread reality.

What is the biggest challenge your company faces in 2015?

In 2015, the Thread Group focused on its efforts on releasing our first specification to Thread members, implementing a rigorous product certification process to guarantee interoperability and enable Thread-based solutions to be brought to market. Our biggest challenge is to make sure we’re taking all the necessary steps to ensure that consumers consistently have a very positive experience with Thread-certified products right out of the box.

What is the biggest driver for the connected consumer market?

As the connected lifestyle becomes more prevalent, consumers are constantly being presented with technologies to enhance and simplify everyday life. The ease and convenience of having all of your favorite smart devices working together seamlessly – in any occasion of life – is very appealing, and consumers want to feel in control.

What are the most important initiatives your company is taking in 2015? 

The most important initiatives for the Thread Group this year include releasing the Thread specification to members in June, a certification program shortly after and continued market education on Thread. We’re excited as this means that Thread-enabled products should hit the market in the second half of this year. Additionally, Thread is continuing to expand its cooperative initiatives with a quarterly Innovation Enabler program, which provides early stage companies the opportunity to be a part of the Thread Group.

Describe your vision for the smart home and entertainment markets in 2020.

In 2020, the Thread Group envisions the smart home concept being a true reality. Various technologies and the infrastructure exist today but the thread that connects them in a way to make a truly smart environment will evolve in the coming years making the smart home a standard lifestyle for consumers. The Thread Group was designed with a single goal in mind: to create the very best way to connect and control products in the home. Architectured to support a wide variety of connected home devices, the Thread Group imagines a smart home that is not only seamlessly connected, but power-efficient, reliable and user-friendly.

Chris Boross will be speaking on the panel, “Innovative Partnerships: The Connected Home” on Tuesday, May 19, at 11:15 AM. Other companies represented on the panel include EnergyHub, Home Depot, Time Warner Cable, and Tyco.

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