Vincent Borel, Director of New Ventures, Logitech, provides insight on several key industry trends for Parks Associates’ 20th-annual CONNECTIONS Conference, which will be held May 24-26 in San Francisco:
What is the biggest change you have seen in the past year in the connected home and entertainment industries?
In the past year the discussion has moved from point products to ecosystems/interconnectivity. Although we are far from seamless and standardized interconnectivity, competing standards are leveling the playing field and walled gardens are starting to open up.
Another interesting change has been the increased awareness around data security and privacy. Paradoxically, consumers seeking more control over their homes have lost control over themselves. There is a lack of transparency on where and how personal data captured by connected devices is being used, and repeated public cases of hacks has made consumers more sensitive than ever about their data privacy and security.
What do you think is the biggest driver for the connected consumer market?
Peace of mind and control. We’ve become use to being connected to each other anytime, anywhere. We get anxious and annoyed whenever we don't have our phones or we can't instantly act on a desire. Naturally, our expectations for instant connection has expanded to almost everything that surrounds us, including services (e.g. Uber) and places like our homes (your lights, door, etc).
What is the greatest challenge for the connected home industry in the next year?
Competing standards and ecosystems will confuse consumers, causing some to wait to see which will be the dominating standard before making the jump to purchase.
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Borel will speak on the session “Security Innovations: Expanding the Smart Home Experience” on Wednesday, May 25 at 2:15 p.m. Other speakers on the panel include Canary, Cox Communications, NXP Semiconductors, leakSMART and Verizon.
For more information on CONNECTIONS, visit www.connectionsus.com or register by clicking here.
