According to ABI Research, the smart home market might be headed toward a do-it-yourself model. A new generation of smart home products is drawing growing numbers of consumers into smart home device spending. Shipments of these devices are expected to grow at a close to 30% CAGR between 2013 and 2019.
Increasingly, devices like Nest's Smart thermostats and Dropcam's streaming video cameras are bringing simple-to-install, smart home DIY to a far wider audience. The popularity of the devices, which can be accessed and controlled by smartphone apps as well as the web, is helping spawn wider evolution in the home automation market.
"Single application, connected smart home devices will not only drive connectivity into a wealth of everyday home appliances from air conditioning units to coffee machines, they will also provide a new battleground for new and existing smart home automation players," wrote Jonathan Collins, principal analyst at ABI Research. "Existing players and start-ups alike are preparing their strategies to leverage the popularity of these devices into their own holistic smart home automation plays."
