During the Wi-Fi NOW Special Event today, “Industry megatrend: Innovations in ultra-low-power Wi-Fi IoT,” Elizabeth Parks, President and CMO of Parks Associates, presented research highlighting the significant growth of connected devices, particularly wearables, focusing on personal safety and security alongside the impact of low power technology.
Over the past decade, the number of connected devices in homes has doubled, with households now averaging 17 devices across health, smart home, and consumer electronics categories. Smart home device ownership has increased fivefold, reaching 45% of households. Elizabeth emphasized the shift of the smart home market into the mainstream, referencing Jeffrey Moore's technology adoption theory. Future demands center on power efficiency, extended range, and reliability, crucial for new applications in energy management and home security.
Despite the growth, integration between devices remains limited, signaling opportunities for further development of smart home routines, particularly for energy savings and home security purposes. She stressed the importance of low power technology in enabling these applications, citing its role in enhancing reliability, especially in access control scenarios.
Other speakers included:
- Claus Hetting, CEO & Chairman, Wi-Fi NOW
- Clint Brown, Senior VP Marketing & Sales, Ubilite
- Rajesh Subramaniam, CEO & Founder, embedUR
- Mikko Jaakkola, Director Product Management, Qualcomm
