It appears that the fourth richest person in the world and the CEO of Amazon talks to Alexa in the bathroom, Jeff Bezos has installed Echo (featuring Alexa) in every room of his house—including the bathrooms.
Update on the work going on at the new office, this week they are digging out the foundations.
Foundations look very solid.
Worldwide, smart home households will grow more than fivefold from 90 million in 2016 to 463 million in 2021, for a CAGR of 39%, according to new forecasts from Ovum.
Ovum's Smart Home Devices Forecast: 2016–21 found that the largest smart home markets will be China and the US, thanks to high availability of devices and greater consumer interest in smart home services and products. Device sales will grow to more than 1.4 billion units by 2021, up from 224 million in 2016, driven particularly by sales of security devices, such as cameras, door locks, and sensors, and by utilities devices, such as connected light bulbs and smart thermostats (see Figure 1). Ovum predicts that each smart home household will use on average 8.7 devices, bringing the total smart home active installed base to 4 billion devices.
"Another device category that will become increasingly important is interactive audio speakers, like Amazon Echo and Google Home," said Senior Analyst Francesco Radicati, author of the Smart Home Devices Forecast. "By using voice control as a user interface, they allow consumers to control their smart home devices in a more natural way, without resorting to apps on their smartphones or tablets, while the AI capabilities of assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant help to deliver increasingly better services."
As the newest device category, interactive audio speakers are set to post the fastest growth, with unit sales growing to more than 88 million in 2021, from 5.5 million in 2016 (a CAGR of 74%). Just as importantly, devices such as Echo or Google Home will help spur sales of other smart home devices, as consumers learn to link devices together to satisfy their families' own particular needs. However, because these speakers are not widely available outside the US, there are opportunities for local companies, for example in China or Japan, to launch their own alternatives. The first is Baidu's Little Fish device, which includes facial recognition and a camera screen along with voice control.
However, there is a distinct gap between the number of smart home households and the take-up of dedicated smart home services. For example, on a worldwide basis, 15.5% of households will have adopted smart home security technology by 2021, but only 6.2% will be paying for a professional smart home security service.
"This gap between the take-up of smart devices and services suggests that there is an opportunity to develop new business models around smart home technology," said Michael Philpott, Practice Leader for Ovum's Smart Home Services team. "However, players will need to be innovative and open to working with third-party devices and partners if they are to be successful
81 percent of consumers are aware of smart homes and 26 percent of people want one at the moment says the latest report by consultancy/accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.
They interviewed more than 1,000 consumers - nowadays it seems that almost every tech company is making it's own smart-home or IOT product and PWC wanted a grasp of the market.
Consumers with a household income of $100,000 or more are the group most likely to interact with smart home devices (43 percent), followed by men (32 percent).
Conversely, consumers above the age of 50 are the least likely to interact with such devices (13 percent).
PwC said that among users, satisfaction is high, in the 90th percentile. Those current users of smart devices are pleased not only with the device itself, but also with the supporting apps.
There is a strong correlation between smart home device use and connectivity with an app. Seventy-four percent of respondents said they use their home device more frequently because it connects to their mobile device.
But 10 percent of consumers said they are unhappy with their smart devices. They said they found them to not be as helpful as anticipated or to have a spotty connection. Or they said they often forget about the device.
Consumers are willing to pay for smart devices that deliver cost savings, safety, security, and convenience.
Seventy-five percent of consumers are willing to pay more for enhanced security, such as being able to grant or deny access to your home remotely.
Consumers also said they want access to discounts and rewards programs (such as insurance discounts), with 72 percent of consumers willing to pay extra.
For women, convenience is a key feature. They view smart devices as another set of hands, and 60 percent would pay extra for personalized customer service.
As for non-users, price is the biggest barrier to entry. Forty-two percent of non-user survey respondents cited the cost of the devices as their biggest hesitation. In fact, 23 percent said they wouldn’t consider a smart home device, even down the road, because of cost.
About 24 percent were concerned about the security of smart home technology, and 23 percent were concerned about privacy of their data.
Sixty-five percent said they were excited about the future of smart technology. But PwC said there is a significant difference between consumers adopting a single device (e.g. a smart thermostat) and those signing up for an entirely connected life.
“We are at a tipping point for the connected home and IoT when it comes to consumers,” PwC said. “They are only just beginning to understand the potential value smart home devices can provide in their everyday lives.”
http://venturebeat.com/2017/01/31/81-of-consumers-are-aware-of-smart-homes-but-only-26-want-one/
In less than a year, Amazon’s combination of the Echo speaker system and the Alexa voice-controlled digital assistant has come close to delivering on the elusive promise of easy-to-use technology that can control gadgets in the home with a few spoken words.
Yet Amazon.com Inc’s surprise success sets up a long-term battle with Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc’s Google for primacy in the connected household. And the contours of that competition are following a classic tech industry dynamic.
Amazon is pursuing an open-systems approach that allows quick development of many features, while Apple is taking a slower route, asserting more control over the technology in order to assure security and ease-of-use.
The strategic importance of the “connected home” niche looms large: Amazon wants a way to own its customer interactions – mainly shopping online – without an Apple phone or a Google Web browser as an intermediary.
Apple needs to keep the iPhone at the center of customers’ lives, and has built a whole home automation architecture, called Homekit, into its smartphone.
Google, for its part, is investing heavily in both intelligent assistant software and home-automation devices like the Nest thermostats and, more recently, the Google Home speaker.
But Google is behind in the race, with its speaker only hitting the market in November and compatible with a handful of gadgets beyond Nest and Dropcam, which the company also owns.
“When the iPhone rolled out in 2007, everyone developed [software] for that. Right now, everyone is developing for the voice-activated Internet,” said Mark Mahaney, an analyst and managing director with RBC Capital Markets.
Mahaney estimates Amazon sold as many as 10 million Alexa-enabled devices over the holiday season. Google hasn’t disclosed sales for its Home speaker. Apple has declined to comment on reports that it has a voice-activated speaker in the works.
With Amazon's Echo now installed in over 1.6 million homes Smart Home technology around the world is becoming more and more mainstream. Lighting control, wireless speakers and multi room music, smart thermostats and home automation are becoming common.
Google have also launched Home and between the Echo and Home they are igniting users (and business) in a way that's previously been unseen.
Until now, smart home devices have worked in branded isolation. Controlled by native apps, users found it difficult to mix and match devices from different manufacturers.The introduction of smart speakers from Google and Amazon have revolutionised the landscape for consumers.
Homeowners can now piece together smart devices from across the major smart home players so consumers have more choice and the devices themselves become easier to use. A great deal of debate is devoted to the merits of “Alexa” versus “OK Google”, but more striking is the speed with which householders have adopted smart gadgets especially since they can be controlled within a single ecosystem.Amazon Echo and Google Home are more than just talking speakers, and thanks to Wi-Fi technology, the de facto smart home ecosystem has arrived, and can future proof itself.
Where the US is leading, the UK is quickly following as the technology is released on British shores.
While the UK is considered to still be in the early adopter phase, more than four million Britons have invested in smart devices for their homes creating a market currently valued at £30 million a year.Since the launch of Amazon Echo it has been hard to keep pace with consumer demand for the home’s smart plugs because of the simple integration and endless opportunities for controlling everyday household devices from; lights and slow cookers to portable heaters and hair straighteners.Research from a range of sources demonstrates there is a clear appetite for smart home.
3D Tv which made an official comeback at the release and success of 3D movie "Avatar" from James Cameron, across cinemas and homes throughout the world.
For a few years TV manufacturers threw everything towards building and promoting 3D sets, now the last The last two TV makers to build 3D functionality into their sets, LG and Sony, will not build any new 3D TV's.
With that the Death knell has officially rang.
For now...
The new Sonos 7.0 update brings Trueplay to the Sonos Playbar.
Trueplay instantly makes your Sonos wireless sound system smarter, more aware, and more responsive - by using your smartphone to measure how sound reflects off walls, furniture, and other surfaces.
It perfectly adjusts the speaker to produce sound that’s true to the music and right for the room. Any room, any setting, any possible speaker setup. Pure and honest sound, every time. And crucially, tuning with Trueplay is easy. Just open the app on an iPhone or iPad, pick a room and tune. No need for clunky accessories or having an expert over.
In the pursuit of the best possible listening experience, designing great equipment is only half the battle. Sound is beautifully imperfect. It changes constantly from song to song and room to room, which means that even the most precisely-tuned speaker will sound different in certain environments. The solution? Embrace the change. If no speaker fits every context why not use software to give every speaker the ability to create true sound in any context? That was the conviction that drove us to create Trueplay, a unique tuning technology that anyone can use to quickly and simply fine-tune your Sonos speaker to produce spot-on playback in any room.
he visceral immersion of the cinema and the sweeping soundstage of the multiplex are coming home. Trueplay for PLAYBAR brings amazing sound to the world of television, games, and movies, giving PLAYBAR owners the chance to have the best home theater audio experience without having to make your home look like a theater.
It all works on the same smart technology as the original Trueplay. First the software analyzes where your PLAYBAR sits in relation to your favorite viewing spot. Then it adjusts the timing, EQ and loudness of each of PLAYBAR’s nine internal speakers to make sure the sound reaches your ears at exactly the right instant and volume. Playbar uses the walls of your room to bounce sound, creating a bigger soundstage. But (luckily) we don’t all live inside perfectly shaped boxes. So, Trueplay listens for the specific placement of the walls in your room and tunes the speaker to match. Got a heavy curtain that hangs only on one wall? Trueplay knows that area will absorb more noise, so it aligns your PLAYBAR so that sound arrives at the exact right time and volume.
Sonos are planning speaker products with built-in Alexa technology from Amazon. It's currently in testing but allows anyone with an Echo or Dot to control their wireless music system with voice control.
When asked if a Sonos speaker with Alexa is coming, CEO Patrick Spence said: “Yes, there will be.” He's also imagined a future where customers use multiple voice systems.
Instead of just Alexa, you could use any voice assistant to control your Sonos speakers. He compared the idea to how Sonos already offers support for a multitude of competing music services. Sonos is even open to supporting Google Home, which offers the Google Assistant.
Amazons Alexa had a very strong showing at the recent Consumer Electronic Show (CES), Despite not having a stand themselves there were a slew of products featuring Alexa voice technology. It looks like we can expect more home technology to feature Alexa control, which is a good thing, because we like Alexa.
It's like this;
The James Bond-inspired cinema screening room features 40 plush motorised leather theatre seats, a 360" 4K cinema screen and Dolby Atmos sound system.
The home also houses the Original Airwolf Helicopter from the TV Series/Film. The swimming pool also has a pop up cinema screen.
More details on the $250 million Bel Air mansion can be found here
LG Electronics have launched a Smart Fridge and for once it looks like they've made all of the features genuinely useful. For a start there is a 29"touchscreen that can turn transparent so you can see inside the fridge without opening it. It can also be controlled with Alexa and manage and order food from Amazon.
Unveiled at CES® 2017, LG’s new flagship Door-in-Door® refrigerator features a 29-inch touch LCD display, which, thanks to its InstaView feature, instantly turns transparent with just two knocks of the screen and allows users to look inside the refrigerator without opening the door. Now with webOS, consumers can also explore a host of WiFi-enabled features directly on the refrigerator, creating a streamlined and powerful food management system all housed directly on the front of the fridge door.
Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service gives users access to an intelligent personal assistant that, in addition to searching recipes, can play music, place Prime-eligible orders from Amazon.com including groceries, add items to a shopping list and more. With over 6,000 skills available, Alexa can also control one’s smart home, request car service, set kitchen timers and check the weather – all hands-free by just using voice commands. With Alexa, daily tasks in the kitchen – such as cooking or planning for the day – turn into a dynamic, entertaining experience.
In addition to the services provided by Amazon, the LG Smart InstaView refrigerator offers a variety of other convenience-enhancing features. The Smart Tag menu allows users to add stickers and tags on the screen to indicate which foods are stored as well as the ability to input the expiration date of each item, so the refrigerator can issue reminders when foods near expiration. Family members can set up memos for each other and create to-do lists that display on the screen. To check inside the refrigerator remotely, a 2.0 megapixel panoramic super-wide-lens camera captures images of the interior from a variety of different angles which are accessible via smartphone, a must-have feature for anyone who would like to see what’s at home while grocery shopping.
“By working with Amazon, we are able to broaden LG’s Smart InstaView refrigerator’s capabilities and provide consumers with a new smart home service that enhances the at-home cooking and dining experience,” said Song Dae-Hyun, president of LG’s and Home Appliance & Air Solutions Company. “Our newest innovation will allow users to enjoy their kitchens like never before with new abilities to ‘speak’ to the fridge, control the home’s connected devices and connect with the family in a new way.”
“For many families, the kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house, and a place where they often find their hands tied. Now consumers have even more convenience in their homes, all just by using their voice and Alexa,” said Mike George, vice president, Amazon Alexa. “In working with an innovative home appliance company like LG, we can truly showcase how much better life can be for consumers everywhere starting with updating one of the most important appliances in the home.”
The Next Generation of Sonos Leadership - John MacFarlane hands over the baton to Patrick Spence.
Here in his own words he describes the transition of SONOS.
As the founder and CEO of Sonos, I am always trying to find leaders who are capable of taking Sonos to the next level, part of that means assessing my own role. With Sonos now poised for a new phase of growth, I am excited to pass the role of Chief Executive Officer to a well-prepared Patrick Spence. Patrick demonstrated his leadership most recently with Sonos’ success during the holiday period, but more importantly, there isn't a person who better embodies Sonos’ values and culture.
Patrick's leadership comes at a magical moment for Sonos. Music has made the transition to streaming. It took longer than we expected but it's fully here now, leading with a handful of paid subscription services: Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Google Play Music, QQ Music, Amazon Music, SoundCloud, Tidal, etc. There will be many more options for music lovers as the music labels learn to make a start-up friendly ecosystem and the paid subscription services build platforms. Today, a Sonos owner can play almost everything ever made, and tomorrow we will certainly be able to do that with all manner of preferences, niches, themes, and mixes. Music is a wonderfully unique and developing thing, making our mission and brand promise the most motivational in the world. It's never been a better time for connecting music lovers in their homes to music creators.
Add to that the advent of useful experiences with voice assistants in the home to complement the smartphone, tablet, watch and laptop in finding the right music, at any given time of your day. Here at Sonos, we all came to this epiphany differently and at different moments, but the work we’re doing now will deliver meaningful experiences for music listening at home.
Other elements around our home ecosystem are maturing as well, home Wi-Fi is becoming mission critical, the reason we developed our mesh network and Boost, as reflected in the growing diversity and depth in the consumer Wi-Fi market. The smart home is on the cusp of becoming an experience beyond early tech adoption.
The pivot that Sonos started at this time last year to best address these changes is complete, now it's about acceleration and leading. I can look ahead and see the role of Sonos, with the right experiences, partners, and focus, with a healthy future. In short, the future of the home music experience, and the opportunity for Sonos has never been better. Never.
There are no typical transitions of leadership, especially for founder-led companies where the strength lies in a central interpretation of the culture that is essential for the formation and development of a new company in a complex and rapidly changing environment. However, the culture must move beyond the founder, and that's a unique path for every company. It is that moment for Sonos and I trust Patrick and the team with this growth.
Moving forward, I will remain as a Sonos employee, with a mission to help and advise. In addition to mentoring Sonos leaders, I will be focusing on two areas that I am most passionate about. First, I’ll help to center and potentially expand Sonos’ commitment to STEM education. Second, I’ll continue to work within the music and tech industries to help create a start-up friendly ecosystem.
It's been a pleasure and honor working toward a mission of filling every home with music. The fifteen-year journey has been filled with fantastic adventures, hard learnings, and everything in between, and I look forward to our next chapter.
Sincerely,
John
http://press-us.sonos.com/141425-the-next-generation-of-sonos-leadership